The cello is a unique musical instrument. It is capable of producing beautiful music similar in range to the human voice. But it is just as difficult to learn. Most people take years to master it. And that is after hours and hours of daily practice and training.  

This constant practice involves a lot of repetitive movements, which can lead to repetitive strain injuries (RSIs). If left untreated, these injuries can ruin a person’s career.

In this guide, we hope to shed light on some of the most common cello injuries among cellists. Understanding these RSIs, their causes, and the treatment options available is the best way to ensure you have a long successful career.

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Common Cello Injuries

Cello Tendonitis

Tendonitis refers to the acute inflammation and swelling of a tendon. A tendon is a tissue that connects muscle to bone.

Cello tendonitis, in particular, occurs on the elbow and the rotator cuff tendons on the shoulder. It is caused by overuse or vigorous, repetitive movement around these joints.

Since tendons are not elastic, this excessive movement can irritate them, leading to inflammation and swelling.

Another risk factor for cello tendonitis is poor posture when playing.

Symptoms

  • Pain at the elbow or shoulder. The pain may be sudden and severe or gradually build up over time
  • Stiffness around the affected area
  • Loss of motion on the shoulder
  • A burning sensation around the area surrounding the tendon

Treatment 

  • Exercises that aim at strengthening the muscles surrounding the injured tendon
  • Time away from playing
  • Taking anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen
  • Wearing a compression bandage to bring swelling down
  • Use of corticosteroid injections. This involves injecting a strong anti-inflammatory drug directly into the injured tendon. However, this should happen only in severe cases. Overuse can weaken the tendon and put you at risk of further injury
  • Surgery to remove the infected tissue

Prevention

  • Learn proper posture and positioning of the shoulder and arm when playing
  • Do warm-up exercises before you begin your routine
  • Vary the warm-up exercises
  • Avoid sitting in the same position for too long by taking regular breaks from playing.

Tendinosis

Not to be confused with tendonitis, tendinosis is a more serious injury. Put simply, this causes micro-tears in the tendons, mainly because of untreated tendinitis. Symptoms between the two injuries are similar, including:

Symptoms

  • Pain when you move or touch the affected tendon
  • Stiffness
  • In some cases, a tender lump may appear.

    • Treatment and Prevention

    The best way to diagnose tendinosis is by taking an MRI, x-ray, or ultrasound to look for tears in the tendons. The doctor may then recommend physical therapy to strengthen the muscles surrounding the tendons.

    The doctor may also recommend platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) treatment to hasten the healing process.

    In as much as the treatment and prevention methods for these two injuries are similar, it takes longer (months) to heal from tendinosis than it would to recover from tendinitis. So do not ignore that pain.

    Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

    The Carpal Tunnel is a small canal through which the median nerve passes from the forearm through the wrist to the hands and fingers.

    Any kind of pressure or stress to this nerve causes inflammation which leads to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. For cellists, the stress to this nerve is caused by poor posture and overuse or excess repetitive movement of the wrist and hand.

    Symptoms

    • Progressive numbness or tingling sensation in the hands, wrist, or forearm
    • Shooting pain that can sometimes travel all the way to the shoulder and neck
    • Poor motor function - you may find it challenging to grasp tiny objects or clench a fist.
    • Loss of strength in the hands and forearm.

    Treatment 

    • When you start feeling pain, take time away from playing
    • You can also get an anti-inflammatory analgesics prescription
    • Doctors can also use splints and wrist braces to stabilize your hand.
    • Surgery, but as a last resort - it takes a long time to heal from surgery, and you may not be able to play as you used to.

    Prevention

    Bursitis

    Bursitis is an irritation to bursa sacs, particularly those on a repetitively overused joint. Cello players mostly experience bursitis in the elbows and wrists.

    Symptoms

    • The most common symptom of bursitis is pain around the affected joints.
    • Redness or swelling around the joint area.
    • You may experience a limited range of motion, sometimes without pain

    Treatment 

    If left untreated, bursitis can cause chronic pain and muscle atrophy. So it is always recommended to see a doctor whenever you start experiencing pain. Treatment for bursitis includes:

    • Rest
    • Taking anti-inflammatory medication
    • Antibiotics in case the injury is infected
    • Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles
    • Heat therapy to help reduce pain and loosen the affected muscles
    • Surgery, but only if all the other treatment options fail

    Prevention

    Usually, bursitis goes away after a few weeks, but with proper treatment. Although it can also recur. There are a few measures you can take to prevent bursitis from ever occurring or even recurring:

    • Take regular breaks from playing during practice
    • Always ease your way into a technique before picking up momentum
    • Schedule a meeting with a doctor the moment you experience any pain
    • Learn proper sitting posture and use the right chair for playing cello

    Conclusion

    Most cellists practice for long hours, especially if they play in an orchestra. They have little to no control over how long they get to train each week. So at times, the over-exertion can cause excessive strain on the body.

    Unfortunately, the majority of cellists tend to ignore the pain and discomfort that stems from this. The problem with this negligence is that it can lead to more severe health problems. Untreated, cello injuries can be life-altering.

    So take charge of your health. Your musical career won’t end prematurely if you take the recommended preventative and treatment measures.

    That said, there are four main cello injuries that you should watch out for. These are cello tendonitis, tendinosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and bursitis.