5 New Strategies For Violin Neck and Shoulder Pain

I have previously written articles about ways to relieve shoulder pain caused by playing the violin, and my exploration into this topic is ongoing. Recently, I’ve come across some new strategies that have been working well for me. As always, remember that everyone’s body is different, so you may need to adapt these solutions to your own needs. Here are five additional solutions for violin neck and shoulder pain that I have found helpful lately.

1. Semi-supine pose

This is a passive pose used to align your spine and develop body awareness. Lie down on the ground with your head resting on a book, knees bent, and hands resting on your rib cage. The goal is to observe your body for any unnecessary tension and breathe easily throughout. This exercise has been particularly beneficial for me as a violinist, as it brings awareness to the placement of my head in relation to my spine.

2. Head position awareness while holding the violin

Remember where the back of your head was in relation to your neck and shoulders while laying in semi-supine pose. When preparing to play the violin, in your mind’s eye, picture the back of your head and notice if it’s still in the same relative position that it was when you were in semi-supine pose. As you put your violin up, try to keep the back of your head in the same place. You may notice that you tend to drop your head forward or to the side by habit. Practice simply putting your violin up and down while keeping the back of your head upright and aligned. Be sure to bring your violin up to your shoulder, rather than bringing your shoulder and head down to the violin. Then, try playing a few notes on the violin, noticing if you can keep your head aligned.

3. Point the violin more forward for neck neutrality

Lately, I have been experimenting with the angle that I place my violin. A lot of us were taught to point the scroll to the left. However, if you are experiencing neck and shoulder pain from being positioned in this angle, you may want to experiment with angling the violin more forward, which will allow your neck to be in a more neutral position while you play. Your head can remain facing forward (or somewhere between forward and to the left), rather than turning or tilting your neck to the left as violinists often do. Just be aware that this may cause your left shoulder to inadvertently squeeze inwards as you hold the violin. Use your body awareness to keep your shoulder as relaxed as possible.

4. Bobble head movements

When playing the violin, it’s important to not lock the neck and shoulders into one position. This can cause tension and strain. I was discussing this with a student’s parent, who is a doctor, and she suggested that I think of the head like a bobble head: allow small movements and adjustments as I play. This mental image made a lot of sense to me, and as I play I now try to imagine my head bobbling or floating on my neck. I try to allow small adjustments as I play, avoiding squeezing the violin. This has helped me to not stay locked into a tense position, which would cause shoulder and neck pain.

5. Cushion underneath the shirt

I’ve written before about different types of shoulder rests and chin rests that can make playing more adapted to your body. Recently, a violin teacher suggested that I slide a cushion under the left shoulder of my shirt to help hold the violin. This may seem like it functions the same as a shoulder rest, however, somehow there’s a different feeling when having the cushion connected to the violin versus having it connected to my body. I created my cushion using an old rosin pouch and a folded up cloth.

More resources for violin neck and shoulder pain

Remember that these ideas for preventing violin-related pain are meant to supplement the other solutions that I have written about. You can read these articles here:

1. How To Deal With Recurring Violin Pain

2. How To Hold The Violin To Relieve Neck Pain

3. How To Solve Shoulder Pain For Violinists

If it still hurts your neck and shoulder to play violin…

If your pain does not improve after multiple attempts, it may be time to seek the advice of a doctor. There is a possibility that your pain is caused by an injury that is unrelated to your violin playing. For instance, I had an adult student who experienced severe shoulder pain while playing violin. An MRI revealed rotator cuff tears in both shoulders which required medical treatment.

Keep experimenting to eliminate neck and shoulder pain

Keep exploring and experimenting to find what works best for you and your unique body. Your feedback and questions are invaluable to me as I continue to find solutions for violin neck and shoulder pain. I would love to hear about your experiences with these or other techniques that have worked well for you. If you have any questions on any of the methods discussed, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can create a supportive community where violinists can share their insights and help each other overcome challenges. I also offer lessons to help violin students reduce violin-related pain.

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