BY -- Krista Viveiros
Over the course of a DCI tour, the hands of a front ensemble member take one hell of a beating. But everyday you wake up, go to stretch and know as soon as you touch the mallets your hands are going to hate you. Maybe your hands are taped up, or blistered. Maybe you can't feel them at all. Regardless, your hands probably took a beating the day before. And the day before that, and the day before that. When you're playing for 12 plus hours a day, it can get rough on your hands. Here are my top 5 tips to keep your hands from feeling like you've stuck them in the garbage disposal.
1. Take some Advil
Sure, this one seems obvious. Heck, it's one of the easiest ones on this list. If you had a chop out day, pop an Advil or two before bed. It'll help with the swelling that plagues us all a few times a season, and will help you feel a little less crunchy when you go to move your fingers the first time.
2. Sleep with your band-aids and tapes off
Yeah, I know this probably sounds counter intuitive. But, hear me out. Your body does a good portion of its healing while you're sleeping AND the exposure to the air will help to dry out any excess skin or blisters that you may have developed. Make sure you still put on some Neosporin or other antibacterial of choice though. No one wants an infected hand.
3. Get your hands on some ice
Have a particularly rough day? Ice is another great way to keep swelling at bay. It feels super nice on tense muscles. Plus, you get to look super goofy with ice packs taped to your wrists. What's not to love?
4. Loosen up
Again, another one that seems obvious, but I swear that about 90% of my problems with technique and beating my hands up came from being too tense. We all get worked up, we all get tense at points. But if you feel like you're squeezing your mallet to death, digging real deep into your hands, and causing pain, it might be time to take a step back.
5. Take pain seriously
I've seen far too many kids try to be heroes and end up with season ending injuries instead. If you have any type of pain, especially shooting, sharp pains, let your staff know! They should be willing and ready to help you fix whatever is wrong with your technique to get you moving in the right direction and out of pain. If the pain persists, it's time to see a doctor. Again, DON'T BE A HERO. No season is worth losing your ability to play forever. Get the help you need.
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Over the course of a DCI tour, the hands of a front ensemble member take one hell of a beating. But everyday you wake up, go to stretch and know as soon as you touch the mallets your hands are going to hate you. Maybe your hands are taped up, or blistered. Maybe you can't feel them at all. Regardless, your hands probably took a beating the day before. And the day before that, and the day before that. When you're playing for 12 plus hours a day, it can get rough on your hands. Here are my top 5 tips to keep your hands from feeling like you've stuck them in the garbage disposal.
1. Take some Advil
Sure, this one seems obvious. Heck, it's one of the easiest ones on this list. If you had a chop out day, pop an Advil or two before bed. It'll help with the swelling that plagues us all a few times a season, and will help you feel a little less crunchy when you go to move your fingers the first time. 2. Sleep with your band-aids and tapes off
Yeah, I know this probably sounds counter intuitive. But, hear me out. Your body does a good portion of its healing while you're sleeping AND the exposure to the air will help to dry out any excess skin or blisters that you may have developed. Make sure you still put on some Neosporin or other antibacterial of choice though. No one wants an infected hand. 3. Get your hands on some ice
Have a particularly rough day? Ice is another great way to keep swelling at bay. It feels super nice on tense muscles. Plus, you get to look super goofy with ice packs taped to your wrists. What's not to love?4. Loosen up
Again, another one that seems obvious, but I swear that about 90% of my problems with technique and beating my hands up came from being too tense. We all get worked up, we all get tense at points. But if you feel like you're squeezing your mallet to death, digging real deep into your hands, and causing pain, it might be time to take a step back.5. Take pain seriously
I've seen far too many kids try to be heroes and end up with season ending injuries instead. If you have any type of pain, especially shooting, sharp pains, let your staff know! They should be willing and ready to help you fix whatever is wrong with your technique to get you moving in the right direction and out of pain. If the pain persists, it's time to see a doctor. Again, DON'T BE A HERO. No season is worth losing your ability to play forever. Get the help you need.Join The Conversation On Social
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