Hi! I'm new to this board, and I just want to extend a greeting before I start spewing my problems
So I'm posting to seek advice on treating or preventing this horrible soreness I get on the lowest joint of my left index finger - you know the joint where the flute rests between the palm and the finger. This place gets excruciatingly sore especially after I play very fast, technical passages that involve complex fingerings. Sometimes, my entire palm starts to hurt.
While the pain is understandable if the music requires rapid finger movements, what is funny is that it has only started recently. I've been playing for six years, and throughout these years I've made minimal changes to my posture or the way I hold the flute. And now when I practice, I have to stop often to allow my hand to recover, and after a few instances, it becomes really annoying.
Does anyone else have this problem or have any suggestions on treating it?
It sounds to me like you have a problem with tension in your hand. Pain is really not a necessary part of playing, and is not necessarily understandable. It is very common for players to become tense when playing fast passages with difficult fingerings, and this can cause a great deal of pain. Even though you have been playing for six years, this may be a time to recheck your hand position. Remember that you don't have to actually grip the keys as you play (assuming that your flute is in good working order - you may want to have it checked out as well). We know this in our minds, but often do it anyway when playing a passage that requires concentration. I attended a master class when I was in highschool where a teacher said to occasionally play your flute as if it was the first time you ever played it. In other words, very gently. You may want to try memorizing a short passage, then play it over and over while paying close attention to what your fingers are doing, not the music. This way, you may be able to tell where you are possibly gripping too hard.
Don't completely rule out a medical problem. You may want to have your hand checked out. An injury, even a minor one, can definately cause a sudden onset of pain when playing.
