—by Angela Schwarzkopf

This article extra is part of the feature article Playing in Pain in this issue.

Playing the harp involves your entire body. Take a look at these small adjustments, which can have major effects on tension and pain. Think pink for proper posture.

Hands

Left: Pulling down while closing causes stress in your forearm tendons. Right: Releasing your fingers with your wrist in neutral creates ease and economy of motion.

Posture

Left: Poor posture causes you to overuse muscles and quickly tire. Right: Good posture helps you create centered and efficient motion.

Arms and shoulders

Left and center: When you shorten your shoulder and neck muscles, you create tension, which doesn’t feel or look good. Right: This is an example of a well-balanced arm and shoulder position when playing in the upper register of the harp.

Legs

Left: It’s important to keep an eye on your foot, ankle, and knee alignment to avoid strains and nerve tension issues. Bottom: Keep everything in line down to the floor to avoid potential problems.