Overcoming Physical Injury - A Flautist's Experience

Torsten Krebs, British Flute Society, UK, Thomas Tschirren, Switzerland

My issue did not arise as a result of a physical impairment but was due to poor use and eventually injury. I had rather poor posture—round-shouldered—as a child. When I took up the flute at 15 years old, my teachers regularly encouraged me to stand straighter, pull my shoulders back, and so forth. The flute, perhaps any instrument held up in front of the body, can lead to or exacerbate hunched backs or round shoulders. After school I went on to university studies and eventually a desk job, which meant more bending forward to read, write or type. I had always enjoyed the outdoors, in particular waterborne activities such as sailing, surfing and especially white-water kayaking.

 In April 2009, I tipped over in a tricky stretch of river, eskimo-rolled back upright but got the paddle caught in some rocks. A powerful pull got it free, but the sharp and continuing pain in my right shoulder forced me to stop and get out. Investigations revealed damage to the rotator cuffs: serious tears in both supraspinatus and infraspinatus in the right shoulder, less serious damage but still tears in the left shoulder. I had surgery to repair the tears in the right shoulder in May 2009, and to the left shoulder in the following October, each time with six weeks total immobilisation followed by months of aggressive physiotherapy, including home rehabilitation and strengthening routines.

For most activities, including kayaking, I am now fine, but holding the flute out is challenging and becomes painful after 30 to 45 minutes. I tried a number of solutions with little success. An article in the March 2022 issue of "Pan" (the journal of the British Flute Society) brought OHMI to my attention and in particular Thomas Tschirren's various devices to support instruments.  Thomas and I have worked together since then and developed a number of supports for my flute. I have written three articles for Pan about these developments.