Broken Wrist

[silvester-bernhardt]

My son the harpist (age 9) broke his wrist. What in your opinions is the best route to take during and after recovery (4-6) weeks, with regards to practicing and lessons?

[lisa-fenwick]

Work on the other hand. Do a lot of listening to harp recordings. Do some theory work. Don’t rush what the doctor says with regard to his broken wrist. Make sure he listens to his body when he starts using that hand again. If it hurts it is time to rest it.

[Alison]

I can’t see the point of trying to continue with harp whilst one arm is in plaster, you can’t even move or manage it properly with one hand so you risk damaging the harp, and really the left hand has to attend to the levers, so give it a rest, it is slow progress but once out & physio and swimming starts the harp is a surprisingly useful tool and motivator… but difficult with a stiff weak forearm. I write from experience.!!

[Philippa mcauliffe]

I broke my right wrist at that age. I was playing a carbon fibre lever harp at the time so no problem moving it back and forth with good hand and fingers of plastered one. I learnt nearly all the left hands of the pieces in my suzuki book during that period. It got a bit tiring with no chance to rest and give the other hand a go so I did a short periods only a few times each day. Your parent is supposed to be with you for Suzuki practices so my mum did the levers if I asked her to! There were not very many though. My right got tired quickly when it came out of plaster but I worked up gradually. Most 9 year olds arent playing for hours a day anyway. Mine was an undisplaced fracture – no operation or anything needed.

[Sam Karlinski]

Absolutely continue working on the unharmed hand, especially if he broke his dominant wrist.

I broke my right (dominant) wrist a few months after starting lessons at 8. I simply took a month or two off from playing, but the beginning is crucial, so I’d recommend continuing. I broke my left wrist two years later, and my new teacher took that as an opportunity to work on etudes.

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