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Hey,

OK, I gots my sousamaphone out after a couple of decades storage, got a playing condition done on it and headed out to a dixie/polka gig. All and all it was a complete blast. People love the sousaphone. I played everything the same way I do on my Marzan, but the crowd responds better to the sousaphone. However, one problem did crop up...the last three fingers on my right hand went numb during the second set and didn't return to normal for a couple of hours.

Is this simply because my arm is not used to the position of playing the suze? Will I become accustomed to the position and lose the numbness? It is accompanied by a (very) light sensation of pain around my elbow that seems to be in line with my wrist. Would stretching help?

Any suggestions.
Thanks,

I use a souzie or a helicon quite a bit... especially for stand-up gigs. Repetitive motion is going to take its toll... just like what our moms used to call 'writer's cramp'... only the modern-day term is carpel tunnel syndrome. One thing I really like about a souzie is that I can reach the valves with my left hand, too. I figure if some day my right hand 'gives up the ghost' entirely, I can still play

One of the sousa players in the Olympia Band figured this out a long time ago but I can't locate the picture at the moment. Maybe someone has the pic showing him playing with his left hand.

I find that some people fit a sousaphone better than others.

In my case, I cannot rest a sousaphone on my shoulder, for even short periods. The shape of my trapezius muscle forces the instrument to sit right on the tip of the bone, and that is quite painful. So, I hold the instrument up with my left hand. That is not officially correct, I suppose, but I have no choice.

A sousaphone can definitely create an imbalance that will translate to a series of curves in your spine. Your shoulders will tilt left, and your hips will have to tilt right to keep you from falling down. Those twists can pinch nerves and cause tingling and numbness in the extremities. It's similar to when your leg "falls asleep" from sitting cross-legged too long.

I frequently lose feeling in my left hand while playing tuba, and it sits on a stand. I just have to hang my arm down by side for a few seconds.

I don't know if that helps, but I would experiment with different positions.

Rick "who has no interest in a big, heavy sousaphone" Denney

You also need to be aware of keeping a normal neck position while you play. Turtling your neck or squashing it to the side can cause you to pinch the nerves between your 4th-6th neck vertebrae and can lead to numb fingers. Since the weight of the Souzy was on the left shoulder and it was the right fingers that went numb, this is a reasonable possibility.

Don't give in to the weight of the horn. Adjust the Souzy's neck to where you need it to be; don't get YOUR neck out of position. Make it come to you.

..."the last three fingers on my right hand went numb during the second set and didn't return to normal for a couple of hours."

If the last three fingers of the right hand are impacted, the problem is pressure on the ulnar nerve. This usually happens at the elbow -- it's the "funny bone" nerve -- because the pathway through the elbow is tight. Something about how you were holding the sousaphone may have contributed to this.

Googling "ulnar nerve entrapment" can reveal a lot.

John

I was playing at a concert yesterday and my left hand went to sleep. The left hand had been positioned (above my heart level) for slide pulling. Similar to Rick's experience, sensation returned after I dropped my left hand to my side. That numbness was caused by a lack of blood flow, possibly because of muscles constricting the arteries to my arm. However, lack of blood flow is not the same as nerve trauma from the uneven weight of a Sousaphone on an unconditioned or out-of-shape back.

Doctors speak of "rucksack palsy." If enough Sousaphone players complain, maybe someday it would be called "Sousaphone palsy." Symptoms of this condition can include pain, numbness and weakness in the back, shoulders and arms. It is caused by the pressure on the nerves and blood vessels in these areas of the upper body.
http://www.mplan.com/content.aspx?healt ... k_pain.htm

Numbness in the pinky and ring finger implicate an irritated or pinched C8 (ulnar) nerve. The particular area of nerve sensation is called a dermatome.
Numbness may be caused by an irritated or pinched nerve exiting the spinal cord. Sometimes arthritic calcium deposits build up with age and cause problems. However, it is best to avoid the surgeon scraping away those vertebral calcium deposits.
http://www.backpain-guide.com/Chapter_F ... pathy.html
http://www.apparelyzed.com/myo-dermatomes.html

Ouch! My left shoulder and arm get numb occasionally, but I know that's just from overdoing it. However, in other contexts, occasionally if I have to hold my right arm bent for a period of time, it tingles like it's "going to sleep," or like someone bumped a "crazy bone." Since it's been awhile, there is a chance you are playing with some tension from not not being used to holding it for awhile. I've done that, especially with my right thumb. I have to make a conscious effort to relax until everything gets used to it again, and then the tension and the numbness/tingles go away. I hope for your sake that's all it is. Good luck!

My sousaphone would cause the same effect. I now use my Helicon for
jazz & stand up gigs and that has eliminated the problem. It is much lighter and for me much better balanced. Getting a Helicon may not be practical thing for you but might be something to think about.

Thanks, Klaus. That's a great picture of a great band!

One would expect the sousaphone to affect your LEFT arm and shoulder, since that supports the weight. If your right hand is affected you should take a look at how that hand is positioned while you play. Find a way to keep your wrist straight, not bent back or sideways.

Thanks All,

I will take everything here under advisement and let you know what happens. I imagine it is the ulnar nerve as I did notice a corresponding slight pain in the funny bone area. More later.