musicosylesiones.com
String instruments testimonials
Mari Cruz Carlón Jimenez Violin teacher at the Municipal School of Oviedo
"It is impossible for me to summarize in a few lines the" war "that my forearms have been giving me since I was a student. After years of discomfort, pain, doctors, physios, erroneous diagnoses, a thousand treatments and a lot of frustration, I have found in Tomás a great professional , honest and committed to the health of his patients. I am enormously grateful to him. "
Zoe Gonzalez Valbuena Chelo-Palencia
" I decided to go to Tomás after several visits to specialists in different cities, who simply recommended that I stop playing the cello for a long period due to tendinitis in my left hand. Years ago, my left thumb extensor tendon ruptured. and, after a long and hard recovery, I was able to go back to studying my instrument; however, this injury, which prevented me from playing without pain, reactivated my fear of being able to continue with my career.
I am very grateful to Tomás since he has made my injury disappear and, in addition, he has treated other areas of my body in which there were also minor injuries. It has made me understand that my injury was largely due to pain that I had not treated for years (especially in the neck and back) and the importance of good habits such as warming up and stretching during study times.
For all this, thank you with all my heart, your help has been essential to continue my career. "
Carlos García Rivas Guitarist-A Coruña
"My name is Carlos García Rivas and I have been playing the guitar since I was 8 years old (I am currently 21). I entered the higher conservatory of Castilla y León without knowing the problem that I had been dragging in my arms for years, which I simply attributed to the fatigue of the studio, the forced positions of some works or, simply, that it was normal since the level was going up and I had to try harder to play according to what was asked of me.
It is not until the ergonomics seminar that Tomás gives to first-year students that I rethink the causes of my pain. At the beginning of the course I had corrected some flaws in my technique, which is also linked to the fact that I did not warm up beforehand (with or without an instrument) or stretch after studying the guitar.
I was diagnosed with tendinosis in both arms, but no matter how hard they tried to treat it, my pain did not disappear nor did it allow me to play for more than 5 minutes at a time. I decide to rest and put the guitar down to see if it can be solved, but given the impossibility of resuming the practice of the instrument, I decide to speak with Tomás, who later summons me to his consultation to attend 14 treatment sessions after which the pain in my arms it practically disappears in its entirety, allowing me to gradually return to studying guitar at an adequate pace. Of course, by warming up and stretching and adopting healthy study habits. "
Oscar Manzano Guitarist-Salamanca
"The overuse and neglect of a musician is something more common than it seems. There is nothing like feeling comfortable with your instrument, without having to suffer pain and serious consequences. Luckily there are those who care about this great little community and we provides a quick and lasting solution, either working the injury in sessions or advising on how to deal with it. Only three sessions have been needed to put an end to months of discomfort and discouragement in which sometimes you could not finish a song without having I have to force myself to endure the pain. Besides having eradicated the problem, now I know how to prevent it. It is not necessary to touch with pain. Thanks Tomás. "
Bea Alvarez Borque viola student at ESMUC
“I am Beatriz, a violist, and I have always felt that I played tense and stiff but throughout my career, my teachers have given me quite a few clues throughout my study and evolution as a musician to be able to be aware and solve it. In February 2017, after a time of stress, I got ready to prepare for some orchestral auditions in which I threw myself completely, and after this overload, the index finger of my right hand began to hurt a lot, the one that rests on the bow. , which has a very important function for any string player. The pain continued for 4 months in which I did not stop playing and I continued making an overexertion that led me to unsuccessfully search for professionals who could help me, and then to take 2 months of rest. After 7 months of swelling and pain that did not subside, I located Dr. Tomás. He had several tendon injuries to his forearm, wrist, and index finger that had become chronic and, as a result, severe pain. The experience has been totally rewarding, at the level of healing physical injuries and also to gain psychological security, which is something that weakens a lot. during a chronic injury. The key to finding Dr. Tomás is that, in addition to treating all the injuries and healing them, he has helped me to modify the movements that I did unconsciously and that have led me, among other things, to an injury of this type. It is essential to have a full consciousness of the body and mind, rest one day a week, exercise and avoid being over-demanding as musicians. And never lose your sense of humor and smile ”.
Bleuenn Le Friec freelance harpist Santiago de Compostela
“Last summer I started having strange sensations in my wrist that bothered me a lot both in everyday life and when playing the harp. Those pains kept increasing until they really started to affect my playing. At first I decided to stop playing for a while and went to various physios without any results. I received several treatments, without anyone telling me exactly what was happening to me. This frustrated me greatly, with the addition that it did not improve anything and I had the impression that no one was taking my problem seriously and that my pain was probably psychosomatic in origin. Finally they indicated a clinic specialized in athletes where they found the correct diagnosis. He had a compression of the ulnar nerve. Since I started with these problems, several fellow musicians suggested Tomas to treat me. They reiterated their good experiences and their total trust in him. If I could go back, I would contact him from day 1 of my pain. I started dealing with him after the diagnosis. Being a musician, he also perfectly understood my concerns (financial among others) of having to leave the harp aside for a while and was very flexible in the treatment so that I could continue with my most important commitments.
This support and the empathy he showed at that level was a huge relief after my previous bad experiences. As for the treatment itself, I was very grateful for Tomas's sincerity at all times. That attitude of his made me fully trust him. I started to notice improvements from the first session and although the whole process was a bit painful, I was very encouraged to see results quickly. In relatively few sessions (but intense!), Tomás managed to make my pain disappear. He watched me play the harp and corrected some postural defect and also gave me very clear guidelines on warm-ups and stretches that I hope I will never put aside after the scare I went through when I imagined not being able to play again. Despite the fact that sometimes you had to hold on to the stretcher because of the pain, the sessions with him were very enjoyable and he patiently answered my avalanche of questions related to my ailment but also to life in general :). Since then, I have done nothing but direct other musicians who suffer from any type of pain related to their instrumental practice to him. If you are lucky enough to be able to attend your consultation, the most certain thing is that you will save a lot of time and a lot of stress in your healing process. Thanks Tomás!
Sergio Varela guitarist-Alicante
"During a concert I felt a" whiplash "in the index of my left hand that left him weak and sore. I did not give it importance, and after resting for a few days I resumed my activity (practice with the instrument, classes, concerts). However, In a short time, what started as a slight discomfort in the finger became pain in the hand that prevented me from playing the guitar. The situation was complicated when the health professionals who treated me: doctor, traumatologist, rehabilitator, physiotherapist (and Furthermore, in the diagnostic tests (rays, MRI, electromyography) no injury was appreciated, they did not get it to improve. At this point and after almost two years without playing the guitar, I decided to contact Dr. Tomás Martín. It was an overuse injury in both forearms due to several factors (poor postural habits, not warming up, not stretching, not taking breaks, playing with pain). The treatment consisted of six sessions, after which pu I've been playing again and, very importantly, I know what to do to avoid injuries. Musicians must be aware of our limitations and the risks that our profession entails, and in case of injury, go to an injury specialist from our group. It is fortunate that we can count on a great professional and a great person such as Doctor Tomás. Thank you!!
David Maimómides Martinez Contrabass-Albacete
Hello, my name is David M. Martínez Sánchez and I am writing this testimony talking about my experience with the therapy carried out by Tomás Martínez López. I came to your office after two years of being severely limited by having a chronic injury to both forearms and arms. It seems incredible seen from a distance, but, it hurt so much, that To be able to play, he would do mini-blocks of 3 minutes or less, with their respective 10-minute break, for, three hours after doing this, already warmed up, and to be able to play longer. Not even some physios that I went to were able to give me solutions, and I finally arrived with Tomás, whom I met in a course, without any hope and willing to leave the double bass forever very soon. What was my surprise with Tomás that after 4 months of going to his office every week, I was totally cured, and not only that, but I feel much better than before and even my fellow musicians tell me to give them advice, which I always apply with great joy with my students, on the other hand.
I am going to try to summarize what I learned with Tomás:
-Warm-up without instrument: ten minutes of warm-up body exercises (in winter 15 min.). At the beginning of everything. No teacher that I know teaches or knows this point. And it is essential: if your muscles are not hot when playing, there is a much higher risk of injury; this is a cajon, for example, for dancers, and musicians forget that ours, in addition to art, is also sport.
-Instrument warm-up: ten minutes of slow playing, legato and mp. At the beginning of everything and after warming up with the instrument.
-Stretching: exercises performed especially at the end of our musical day and also in between. Essential to maintain elasticity in the muscles and that they do not shorten.
-Rest: the funny thing is that, even being very relaxed and with a perfect posture, ONLY 30% glucose reaches the muscles (tense and with bad posture, 5%), and the short 10-minute breaks (no more so as not to get cold) every 45 minutes playing a maximum (in the first block, in addition to the warm-ups described above, 20 more minutes only), they make our muscles recover (when resting, 100% glucose arrives). But, be careful with using your hands, with the wassap, eg, no, dead hands. In addition, it is highly recommended to rest from the double bass for a day and a half a week and a month a year.
-Posture: fundamental to keep our muscles healthy. To sum up a lot, keep the wrists aligned with the forearms (as a single piece, because if we don't dust ourselves, and in that area there are many tendons prone to getting annoyed if our posture is incorrect), keep the shoulders aligned, and not look at our hands bending or turning the neck when we play (better to look sideways or through a mirror), it is highly recommended.
-No more than 10 consecutive minutes of playing staccato, loud or very fast, as they are not very healthy. No, combine with legato, mp and slow passages (come on, basically what we do in the instrument warm-up).
-Strengthening: when we have been injured, we will surely have lost muscles. In addition, musicians tend to have a highly developed forearm, leaving other parts, such as the arm or back (or even the hands), untrained. Weights are very good for strengthening, and they will also make playing a lot less effort. But be careful, you have to do them as they are described in your book: above all, with the wrists aligned with the forearm.
-Massages: as Tomas does, at home we can treat ourselves to keep our muscles well conditioned. In his book it is well explained, but I think it is not enough and to know how to do them, there is nothing better than going to consult with Tomás and observe a lot. We can do them with our hands, or with a massage device. Also, for the back, trigger points are great, and you only need to have a tennis ball. The massages break the poorly healed fibers of our muscles, so that, giving them rest afterwards, they heal correctly. Be careful: they are only to keep us so well. In the case of a chronic injury, do not hesitate, go to Tomás.
-Finally, doing sports with the lower extremities, eating healthy and resting as recommended, is great to take care of our body. And, even more important, relax and be happy !!!!
Sergio Lorenzo Guitarist-Salamanca
"One day playing I began to feel discomfort in the thumb of my left hand; at first I did not give it too much importance and continued playing, trusting that it would heal on its own, but it was not like that and when I wanted to realize it I had been playing with pain for several months ; I stopped playing seasons of 15 or 20 days, on vacations and so on, but when I returned the pain did not take long to reappear. I went to the family doctor and to an osteopathy professional but none of them gave my injury the importance it had for I, that is, they treated me superficially and even suggested that my problem would have no solution as long as I continued playing. I finally went to Tomás (something I should have done from the beginning) " and in 5 sessions he got me to resume my academic and professional activity normally. Now I know that an injury does not have to be the end of the world but it can be a nightmare if it is not treated in time. "
Saturnino Costa Ramos-Guitar Madrid
I spent about 1 year and a half with pain, tendonitis and tenosynovitis, anti-inflammatories, doing MRIs ... and they didn't know what to say to me. They gave me to understand that with certain musculoskeletal injuries there was not much to do. Due to financial and personal circumstances, I took to other work paths, until as a hobby and with time, years later I started playing again. After a year the injury reappeared. I started browsing and found an article about Tomás' work. When I read that chronic is not equal to irreversible ... I decided to make an appointment. We usually don't get informed about a lot of things until there is a problem. Then depending on the complication at the time of solving it, we collect information to solve it as soon as possible and we catch up ... if it is not already too late. Sometimes, unfortunately, the process is long, unpleasant, frustrating and full of unpleasant surprises at the economic level, putting the public and private systems in question. And we say to ourselves ... why haven't I stopped by ... If you've been walking around and they can't find anything and the injuries and pain persist ... don't hesitate to get in touch with Tomás. Diagnosis, professionalism, sensitivity to your profession, your circumstances and honesty. A lot of practical advice to solve the root problem and the opportunity to raise awareness now that you have reached this point of what you have in hand. Of how much you demand of your body, to be able to print the correct attitude, posture, exercises, warm-ups, rest, etc ... that you have to have when studying, playing, teaching etc ... and probably how little you have taken care of this aspect so far or yes but in a wrong way. 100% recommendable.
Sara Medina-Violin Madrid
"I am a violin student at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid. For more than a year I have been suffering severe pain in my right arm that prevented me from carrying out my studies in a normal way, so my physical condition was added to a great downturn The specialists diagnosed calcifications on my shoulder and their advice was to rest and stop playing the violin. But I didn't give up and kept looking until I found Tomás, thanks to comments like this one. My pain was due to tendinosis. Tomás 'knowledge and extensive experience in treating musicians' injuries have brought him back to one hundred percent. He healed my injuries, encouraged me to continue studying the violin, and taught me many things about posture education and healthy exercise. I am immensely grateful to you. "
Carlos Periañez-Guitar Salamanca
"My name is Carlos, I am 28 years old and I am from Salamanca. I have had a guitar for many years although I have never been able to dedicate much time to it until very recently. When I began to take it seriously, problems came, some new and some old, caused by the latter. for playing the beast with the guitar in my younger years. My thumb got too loaded, to the point of being a problem when making chord progressions and I also began to notice how my little finger got numb every time I practiced Finally, the discomfort in the elbow appeared. When I saw that this was getting worse, I decided to solve it and that was when I found Tomás. When he first saw me he diagnosed me right away and started my treatment. After several sessions, all my problems were reduced to a minimum. It was a pleasure to pick up the guitar again and not feel that something was wrong. Of course, the treatment itself is not everything. Tomás taught me to relax when I play and he saw my mistakes and corrected them. In short, all his advice on musical health, whether from warming up to body position when playing, have been as or more important than treatment, since with this, I will surely prevent all these problems from reappearing.
Thank you very much Tomás! "
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Santiago Tamariz-Martel Goncer Guitar-Salamanca
“The constant work of many years of career and road, as well as the classes to the students, the rehearsals and the long hours of practice, left my right arm almost without strength and especially with pain and stiffness. After visiting several specialists, the diagnosis was not clear, and the most repeated option was to rest from the guitar for a long time, to see if the arm would recover.
I was lucky, because after a short time, colleagues recommended that I speak with Tomás, since his results were amazing, and I did so, I got in touch with this great professional, Tomás Martín. He attended me quickly and very kindly and in a few sessions he got my arm ready to continue playing, in fact I didn't have to stop playing and I was able to continue giving concerts. What I'm sure has been clear to me is that the warm-up and stretching is essential when you put down the instrument, we have to take care of our body so that it can continue to function.
Thank you very much Tomás! Thank you for your attention and your advice, with professionals like you, we musicians are in very good hands ”.
Daniel Precz Viola student at the Higher Conservatory of Geneva
"Until a problem appears we are not really aware of the damage that we are doing. There was a time when it was 5-6 hours, only technical and without breaks or guidelines; the fact that I ended up injuring myself was a matter of logic and not unlucky. Fortunately I never had to stop playing, but the chronic injuries were there and had to be treated. I was lucky to find Tomas and my recovery was spectacular; in just 3 weeks he almost completely cured me! treatment such as advice and recommendations to avoid having problems again: warm-ups, stretching, breaks, work patterns, feeding, toning ... in short, understanding music as just another sport. I would recommend Tomás even to people who are not injured ”.
Emiliano Guglielmino violin (Barcelona)
“For years I had been suffering from different types of aches and pains in different parts of the body and especially in the left arm: tingling in the fingers, fatigue when performing the most basic movements of the arm, such as just lifting the weight of the arm, it was difficult for me very much. I began, as many suppose, a long ordeal of visits to various medical professionals: CAP doctors, traumatologists, physiotherapists, osteopaths, acupuncturists, kinesiologists and surely some more who left me out. The word tendinitis echoed in every corner of the clinics he visited.
He began to treat me and followed the treatments recommended by each one of them to the letter, but never completely improved, on the contrary, new pains and injuries appeared. As time went by, my arm felt weaker, it had lost a lot of muscle and tone. This is not to mention the anguish and anxiety that had increased over time. By not finding a professional who really understood the problem from the musicians' point of view or was familiar with the injuries we suffer, I was never able to achieve satisfactory results.
Browsing the Internet, I found Tomás's page and almost without thinking I decided to get in touch to ask for his help. As soon as I met Dr. Martín, his professionalism, the fact that he is also a musician, the humane treatment, his involvement and empathy among other wonderful things that I discovered in his person, I felt that I had finally found the path that would lead me to be a new and healthy person. He explained in great detail what my problems were and the treatment to follow, not only to heal me but to prevent new injuries. The word tendinitis completely vanished and a new one appeared, tendinosis: its genesis, development, treatment, etc. This immensely clarified the panorama regarding my problems and made me aware of the lack of proper warm-up, stretching, not resting and exceeding the hours of study, jumping from one instrument to another (violin, piano, guitar) without take breaks, etc. We began the treatment, which in my case was long due to the amount of overuse injuries that I carried, and my surprise was enormous when I saw that little by little I felt a general improvement both in body and mind. The trip that almost every week supposed to me to Valladolid from Barcelona I never considered an excuse not to carry out the treatment and to seek local help. Today I can lead a normal life without the limitations that I had before undergoing the treatment. It comforts me a lot to know that there is a person like Dr. Martín to attend to our needs in particular. I will never find the right words to express to Tomás my enormous gratitude for his work and the help he gave me in a very delicate situation such as the fragility of the health of our body ”.
José Luís Parrado Guitarist (Valladolid)
“I am José Luis Parrado. I play classical guitar as an amateur and, recently, as a result of the cessation of my professional activity, I have intensified the practice of the instrument. For months I had felt a strong pain in finger 1 (left hand) and this circumstance, together with the fact that I had lost distance in the flexion movement, prevented me from playing. He had consulted with a traumatologist, but they did not give it importance. Indeed, this problem does not have much impact on "normal life", but, in my case, I had considered leaving the guitar permanently. Through another guitarist I had knowledge of the activity of Dr. Martín López and I decided to put myself in his hands. From day one I saw that I had chosen the right path. Clear diagnosis, explanations that I understood, a prognosis without triumphalism, a clear treatment program. After 4 sessions my finger has improved to the point that the pain has practically disappeared and the finger has regained almost all mobility. With the post-treatment recommendations we hope for full recovery. In addition, to prevent other injuries, I have received from Dr. a series of advice and indications that I consider very useful. I highlight his professionalism, know-how and empathy. Thank you very much Tomás. "
Carmen San Juan Violinist (Madrid)
“My name is Carmen San Juan, I am 17 years old and I have studied violin since I was 8 years old at the Victoria de los Ángeles Conservatory in Madrid. Due to severe pain in my forearm, wrist and hand, it was impossible for me to lead a normal life, so I also had to stop playing the violin. After a long pilgrimage, first by Social Security, in which they considered the possibility of having a carpal tunnel operation, and later by a multitude of physiotherapists (I don't remember how many), I spent a year in white, not knowing what to do to solve the problem . By chance we found an address on the internet, musicosylesiones.com and we thought ... another one. But the first time Tomás Martín saw me, we knew that we had finally found someone who really understood what was happening to me, since he told me what my problem was and the steps I had to take to heal me. After two months of treatment, my hand has regained its full strength and I do not have any pain, so I have resumed my violin studies. Finally, I can only thank Tomás for all his support and professionalism, since without him I might not have found a solution ”.
Lorena Padrón violinist (Graz-Austria)
"My name is Lorena Padrón and I am a violin student at the University of Graz, Austria. A little less than a year ago what happened to me It happens to all of us sometime, everything came together: exams, auditions, orchestral tests, rehearsals, concerts. For more than twenty days the pace of work did not it allowed me to lose 10/12 hours a day with the instrument, with the added stress of concerts and orchestral auditions. All this led to an aggravation of small injuries that my body had been dragging for a long time, sporadic pains that, as they came, would go away in a few days, and I ended up not being able to touch or open a door with my left hand. I looked for solutions, the doctors told me it was tendinitis, that with a couple of ibuprofen and rest it would go away. So I escaped, but the pain returned and I no longer knew what to do. I contacted Tomás Martín and he diagnosed me with an overuse injury, epitrochlear pain and epicondialgia. I started the treatment with him and after three months I am playing again. Being a musician himself, he knows very well all the factors that this entails, as well as the shortcomings that the vast majority usually have. The main one: do not heat up before playing. It is essential to prepare the body before doing intense physical activity, and playing an instrument is.
The therapy with Tomás does not have the sole objective of healing, but the re-education of the patient so that he does not injure himself again: postural hygiene, warm-up routines and stretching the muscles are some of the guidelines to follow to avoid injury. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Tomás for his effort, professionalism, conviction and the great help he has given me in this difficult process ”.
Iván Bragado Harpist (Salamanca)
"My problems began two years ago, and I am very lucky to say that they are already solved. I visited orthopedists and osteopaths, but it remained the same. A small pain began in one finger, which was not given importance; but then came the pain in my arm and back, until I could not sit for more than ten minutes. I contacted Tomás for help, and it was not only important to correct the physical damage, but also the posture on the harp (my greater problem). Once knowing what the correct and technical posture is like so as not to “deviate” again, the retraining of the instrument began, which is long-lasting, and somewhat lasts at the beginning. I also think that one of our The biggest problems is that we do not know the limits of our body, which is our most precious instrument. It is very important to have good support in these situations, and that, in Tomás, I have found it. It is also necessary not to obsess, because that is more difficult to advance. Thank you very much for everything, Tomás !! " All the best
Clara Pertierra Double Bassist-Segovia
"My name is Clara Pertierra, I have been a double bass student for 11 years, and I am currently studying Higher Education at the Salamanca Conservatory of Music. About 3 years ago I began to feel generalized pain in all the parts of my body that I used to play my instrument, that is: hands, forearms, arms, shoulders and back. At first the discomfort was bearable, but instead of disappearing, as I expected, they gave me more and more problems; already last year I had to stop a week or two weeks of playing for something that I called “tendinitis.” This course, thanks to a subject called Ergonomics and Injury Prevention, I met Doctor Tomás. He explained to all the first-year students that our physical problems, our diseases and ailments "EXIST" and are unfortunately very common, and he also told us that with a little prevention and awareness of the physical limits of our body, they could be avoided. For my part, February arrived, the course was much more demanding than I imagined, and that increase in hours of study and work that I had to do quickly led me to a dead end. And the day came when I picked up the double bass and discovered that I couldn't play for more than 10 minutes in a row without my arms falling asleep, and the pain spread through my body.
What's more, I also discovered that it affected me outside the musical sphere: holding things hurt me, carrying objects too, using, in general, my hands and arms, was a cause of pain. So after much thought, I decided to start my treatment with Dr. Tomás. And, more or less six months later, I am totally new, with my healthy body, and not only that, but also with a lot of knowledge about the prevention of injuries, and awareness about the limits that I have to impose on my hours of study and job. So, from now on, I will lead a healthier and more balanced life, and I will take care of my body much more than before, in order to live many years of music. Many thanks to Tomás, who has taught me all this.
Chuchi Marcos bassist-Valladolid
My name is Chuchi Marcos, bass player. I met Tomas Martin for a minor cervical problem, although this time my work as a bass player and my love of lutheria have resulted in an overuse injury to my left arm. I began to feel discomfort, I had a really bad time playing because I felt how it was loading my wrist and forearm to the point of not holding a single song or having to stop and suspend a rehearsal. I couldn't hold a left hand position for a few seconds without my fingers shaking, my strength was fading at times. In 6 sessions with Tomas, and following his advice, I have not only "regained my arm", but also the confidence of being able to play normally and safely. I have learned to prevent these types of injuries and I feel new physically and mentally, with more desire than ever to do things. Fast, effective and without medication, you can't ask for more. Thanks, Tomas! "
Juan Cerro Guitarist (Madrid) http://www.juancerro.com/
"Three months ago I began to feel pain in my left elbow, to the point of having to stop playing the guitar. I spoke to several people and they told me that in Valladolid there was someone who treated injuries specifically from musicians. That's how I met Tomas Martin. He treated me with the problem in several sessions and I have improved a lot, there is no doubt that he knows and treats our physical problems well. I thank you very much for that. "
Roberto Gutierrez. Guitarist of the group Ultraviolet (Valladolid)
"Hello, my name is Roberto, I have been playing the guitar for about 14 years and no one ever told me anything about preventing injuries like the one that happened to me, for which I put myself in the hands of Tomás. Before I went through a physio to treat myself but it was a Waste of time and money, treatments with electrical impulses, ultrasounds and even an acupuncture session did not help me. I was pretty lucky that someone knew Tomás and gave me his phone number because if I hadn't wasted a lot more time and money, but worst of all, I wouldn't be recovered from my injuries to be able to play. To this day I play normally, Tomás has corrected the injuries I had in the arm, forearm, shoulder and hand on the left side, but apart from that, he has made it very clear to me how to prevent these and other injuries, warm up before playing and doing maintenance with exercises and massages is very important. I can only thank you for your professionalism and your way of being ".
Miguel Fdez. Llamazares Violin teacher at the Conservatory of León
"For some time I had noticed a pain in my left wrist that prevented me from performing some elementary movements, although fortunately it did not bother me when playing the violin. But as things did not improve but with time it seemed to get more, my concern grew because Someday it will affect me when it comes to playing the violin. So I decided to go to a consultation with Dr. Martín, whom I had met in a Course on the prevention of injuries in musicians a few years ago. It was then that I discovered that the pain was just a consequence of the muscular overload of so many years of practicing the instrument, of repeating the same gestures, the same movements, without having paid attention to my body, without having done any previous physical warm-up. It extended through both arms and both wrists.Dr. Martín not only made my pain disappear but also changed my mentality: from now on I do warm-up exercises and stretch. before and after playing. I pass it on to my students at the Conservatory from the time they started when they were 8 years old. Just as we take the instrument to the luthier to be fine-tuned, we must take care of our body if we want to stay fit and healthy throughout our artistic life "
Marta Clara Asensi Canet. Cellist (Valencia)
"Three years ago one day I got up and could not move my right arm. My shoulder tendon hurt so much that I could not do anything, or sleep or take a spoon to eat. I started with anti-inflammatories without success and in the end I went to Tomás Martín I had met him in a course on "Ergonomics and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in musicians" that same year and with 2 sessions the tendon stopped hurting me. My arm still had not recovered and I had to return to Valencia. Three months passed, My arm lost muscle, lost strength and I stopped playing the cello. After the summer I started working at the Conservatory of Soria and then I took up treatment again. I suffered from tendonitis in the tendons of the biceps brachii, epicondylitis and epitrocleitis, still today I regret having allowed so much time to pass since the first sessions, I thought I was too far from Valladolid and that is a mistake. During the summer I tried other closer physios, I could not driving, but I didn't achieve anything with them either ... There are not enough words to thank what it has meant to be in the hands of Tomás Martín. Not only did it manage to heal me effectively, since then it has totally changed my perception of the body and things. I have new study habits, I do constant sports, I have enriched my bow technique and I have returned to playing the cello with more force than ever ".
Victor Calsamiglia. Violinist (Barcelona)
"My name is Victor Calsamiglia, I am 30 years old and I am a professional violinist. Throughout my experience I have had physical problems related to the practice of playing the violin. These problems have led me in recent years to seek different opinions and diagnoses regarding injuries to musicians' arms, and I no longer have the slightest doubt that those daring and courageous treatments that question the practices of our industrial medicine are the only ones that rehabilitate in the short, medium and long term. Tomas, I must highlight the positive approach that I have received, with the analysis and the practical, effective, deep and also aggressive treatment, which causes a great sensation of muscle, tendon and joint relief in the affected areas. Ours is a physical practice very complete with repetitive movements that involve many factors, with which, the risk of falling injured is quite high. The fact of knowing that in Spain and a there is a definitely effective treatment for our injuries, it guarantees that we will be able to continue enjoying our profession for many years. Thank you Tomas for daring to question and forget part of what you learned, and for following your unsurpassable conviction! "
Laurent Lavigne. Guitarist (Salamanca)
"I suffered an overuse injury to my left forearm when I added to my musical activities (rehearsals, concerts, etc.) masonry work in my house at the beginning of summer 2007, shortly before starting a tour with about 40 performances. I consulted with my First of all my family doctor, who apparently diagnosed me with tendonitis and suggested that I take anti-inflammatories, rest (a few months) and in case of persistent infiltrations and / or operate. Having within my environment a couple of cases of operation for tendonitis that resulted in partial disability, I preferred not to take risks by conventional means and I followed the advice of some friends, I went to see Tomás. He diagnosed me with epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and he solved the problem in less than two weeks, about 3 or 4 sessions, without taking any type of medication, based on deep massages, and teaching me warm-up exercises before practicing the instrument, and subsequent stretching. Thanks to him I was able to do here she spins without any problem, and I am still very active today. "
Birgit Kolar (Vienna) Concertmaster of the National Orchestra of Spain and violin soloist. http://www.birgit-kolar.com/
"Mr. Tomás Martín is a" piece of luck "!. Not only with his medical knowledge but together with his experience as a musician he carries out a therapy which is enormously efficient and concentrated. Also his sensitivity handling the psychological part of a musician makes you easily convinced to trust his method and to follow his advices !. His so important techniques for warming up muscles I already gave to my students in Vienna where they practice them with a lot of success and joy!
Thank you so much!
Herr Tomás Martin ist ein einziger Glücksfall!
Er weiß es, sein enormous fachliches Wissen, gepaart mit seiner Erfahrung als Musiker in einer überaus konzentrierten und effizienten Therapiemethode zu vereinen.
Auch sein einfühlender Umgang mit der Psyche des Musikers gibt jedem einem sofort die Kraft und Überzeugung, sich seiner Methode anzuvertrauen und seinen Ratschlägen zu folgen !. Die wertvollen Aufwärmtechniken habe ich meinen Studenten in Wien weitergegeben und dort werden sie bereits mit Freude und Erfolg praktiziert. In großer Dankbarkeit ".
Fernando Gonzalez Double bass player of the Principality of Asturias Symphony Orchestra
"I had just finished the upper level of double bass, with an average of 5-6 hours a day of study. I went on to prepare auditions and also eventually work in an orchestra, with which those hours of practice were increased by work, travel , tensions ... The problems did not take long in coming. Forearm, wrist, shoulder pain, episodes of acute back pain. After several consultations in General Medicine and Traumatology, I found myself somewhat misunderstood. The solution they offered me, analgesics and I was resting, I did not have good professional prospects. They told me about Tomás and the fact that he was a musician too gave me confidence. Tomás has treated me on several occasions. I have to say that the experience has always been very positive. I have always improved in my ailments and I was always able to continue exercising my musical work. I think he does a very good job and is well focused on our specific problems. I don't think that avoiding tensions in a musician who spends years playing 8 hours daily rashes is possible, but I do believe that the problem can be controlled and injuries that impede our activity can be avoided with some prevention and adequate treatment. "
Emad khan Double bass player of the Catilla y León Symphony Orchestra
“For the last 4 years my right arm and shoulder were in Pain. In addition to that, my left wrist was having some issues as well. No matter what I did in the way of stretches and regular massage, the pain wouldn't go away, and was persistent, often causing me great annoyance during performance. After a few sessions with Tomas I began to feel a tremendous difference. I've regained my flexibility and the pain in my right arm and wrist are gone. I support this treatment and recommend it to anyone having trouble with tendon inflammation and a loss of flexibility. "
Jose Maria Murillo Bolado Violin teacher at the "Jesús de Monasterio" Professional Conservatory of Santander
"I had a quite serious problem of tendinitis in my left elbow and forearm, due to an overload due to violin practice, which prevented me from playing at one point, precisely when I was on the eve of a competitive examination. I went to Tomás and he solved it for me. in a relatively short time. I think it was about 4 sessions to recover and go back to a normal professional life. "
Laura Bermejo Viola student at the "Oreste Camarca" Conservatory of Soria
"I study viola and a year ago, I began to have pain in my left wrist and trapezius muscles. Physiotherapists treated me, but the improvement was momentary because after a short time I had to repeat the sessions without success, and they also advised me to rest, something that I couldn't afford it. A friend, who had been treated by Dr. Martín, told me about him and I decided to go to his consultation. The first day he told me that my injuries had developed over years of study and They were quite advanced. I thought: this cannot be fixed !!. But Tomás' sessions for 7 weeks in the arms, forearms and back based on deep massages (which bother a little ...), cryotherapy and above all teaching me exercises Warming up and stretching, and correct postural position when playing and not playing, have made me pain free and have been worth the heavy trips to Valladolid by bus one day a week. Now I will not forget to warm up and stretch, nor be correct sitting and standing. Thank you!"
Javier Amado. Bassist (Salamanca)
"First of all, thank you very much Tomás. My name is Javier. My injury began last year when I was two months without playing due to the preparation of some competitive exams. When I finished the exams I had a very musically moved summer and I began to play many hours all the days and my left arm said enough. I continued playing with discomfort until after 8 months I was without strength and could not even put on the seat belt of the car. On the advice of colleagues I decided to call Tomás and after 5 sessions my arm works perfectly. " Thanks for everything!!!
Laura Losada Lorenzo. Guitar student at the Superior Conservatory of Music of Salamanca
"I am a guitarist and I have been treated by Dr. Tomás. When I enrolled in the course" Prevention of musculoskeletal injuries ", I had no idea that musicians could injure ourselves. And I wish someone had told me to be careful Many times while studying I felt pain and fatigue in my left hand and arm, and the conclusion I came to was that it was too weak and I had to keep playing to strengthen it, but in reality what I was doing was hurting me more. take breaks or do any kind of stretching. I had just entered that year at the Superior Conservatory, and after three months (December 2008) I began to treat myself for epicondylitis. The following month (January 2009) I was already recovered and little by little I started again the work being able to present me to the February exams without any problem and having gained in health for my body. Thank you ".
Olalla Gonzalez Saez. Chello's student at the Superior Conservatory of Music of A Coruña
"Almost a year ago, I started to feel pain in my left hand, so I went to the traumatologist, who diagnosed me with tendinitis. I did rehabilitation and apparently the pain had disappeared, after a few months, the pain started again and not only because of the hand, but all over the forearm. When it was unbearable I stopped playing completely and went back to the orthopedic surgeon, who told me that I had epicondylitis in the left forearm, he sent me to rehabilitation again for a month. After this time he discharged me And, thinking that I was fine, I started to play again. Unfortunately the pain continued to exist, it was even more intense, it was at this moment when, FORTUNATELY, they told me about Tomás, in the first session, when he examined me I realized that the injury was more serious than I thought and that it was spreading up my arm and back. Now, after a few sessions, I am already playing and the pain has completely disappeared, Tomas's treatment, not only has served to recover but to learn to take care of my body, which as he says very well is our first instrument. This change in mentality has made me change study habits, do sports, warm-up and stretch before and after playing, ... I wish more musicians would have all this clearer, and be able to transmit it since we started studying. "
Alvaro Soto Chello's student at the Higher Conservatory of Music of Salamanca
"I had serious tendinitis problems in both arms and multiple contractures in my back for years. I had tried to solve it with many physiotherapy sessions with little result. In summer", after several orchestral meetings in a row my body said "enough". I went to doctors They prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and told me to stop playing the cello. I could no longer perform daily tasks such as eating or showering. At the beginning of the course, several teachers recommended Dr. Martín. From the first session the improvement was noticeable and now I am fully recovered. What I appreciate most is his involvement in teaching injury prevention. I think his subject "Ergonomics and Prevention of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Musicians" is one of the most important things I will do in the race, and I feel tremendous lucky to study at a Conservatory with a professional of his stature. Now I am a healthy musician thanks to Dr. Martín !! "
Carles Magraner (Valencia) Viola da gamba / Violoncello Director of the Capella de Ministrers
In September 2009 I felt pain in my left elbow when trying to tune a viola da gamba. The excess humidity and the recent construction of this instrument caused me to exert too much force and cause an injury ... although surely that elbow would already be punished by years of study and concerts. At first I opted to put on a bandage and then take painkillers. I could play and study but always with a discomfort in my elbow that began to worry me too much. I went to the physiotherapist and I spent three months with sessions that failed to calm the pain. The solution I opted for in April 2010 was to inject cortisone and it obviously solved the problem for me for 4/5 months. In November the pain resuscitated and it was when I found Doctor Martín through references. I started the sessions in December 2010, there were 4 pleasant trips to Valladolid from Valencia, the last one in mid-January 2011. The result? In principle, know the why of what happened to me in a clear and rational way. Then observe a rapid and effective evolution in the problem. I told Tomás Martín that living in the Middle Ages could have "sanctified" him !!! and it is that his technique and his wisdom are effective. It only remains for me to be aware that after 30 years of professional activity I need some habits so that it does not happen to me again. Hopefully these habits were integrated into music education from children.
Greetings to all and my personal thanks to Dr. Martín. friend Thomas.
Lucia Martin Gomez Violin student at the Professional Conservatory of Music of Salamanca
"Almost two years ago I began to have discomfort in my right forearm when playing the violin. I did not give it importance, and shortly after the discomfort in my hand began. Little by little it became pain, but I did not contemplate the idea to stop playing the violin. When I told my teacher, she advised me not to play for a few days, but seeing that the pain did not stop I was forced to seek help. I went a couple of times to an Osteopath, and another time to a chiropractor and both diagnosed me with tendinitis, but their treatments only alleviated the pain for a few weeks, at most a month. I did not feel any improvement, but every day the pain increased. It was a situation of great impotence. seeing that she was not improving and that she also had to stop playing the violin. I spoke with another girl from the conservatory who had had a similar problem, and she told me that she had gone to an Osteopath who, in addition to having cured her, had given her recommendations to avoid the injury to reappear. I finally decided to start treatment with Dr. Martín, and now I regret not having looked for solutions from day one. I came for pain in the flexor index muscle that prevented me from grasping the arch for more than ten minutes, and after treating that injury, Dr. Martín began to treat other areas that were damaged, such as pectorals and extensor muscles and flexors of both arms and traps. Week after week I was noticing the improvement, and I kept playing for more and more minutes. Now I realize that warming up before playing and taking care of our body is essential, since it is the instrument with which we work. I thank Tomás for having taught me a little about how to avoid suffering these physical and mental pains again, and for having made my body capable of playing again without any anomaly. "
Nuria Hernández Velasco (Violist) Ávila
"My pain started in my left shoulder, and at first I did not give it importance. After a few weeks the pain did not subside, but it got worse. I decided to find a physiotherapist to treat me, but it did not work with any of the conventional ones. After searching the Internet and consulting people who had been treated by Dr. Martín, I decided to go to him. While there, I discovered a multitude of things, including that my pain came from a muscle overload from years of accumulation, and from a bad posture, even without playing the instrument. I began to go to the consultation, and little by little we discovered that not only did I have a shoulder injury, but I also had them in both arms, that is, forearms, hands, shoulders, neck ... It was very hard to change my routine, since before I did not warm up before or after playing, but that was the first thing I had to change. I also modified my position by playing the viola, so as not to injure myself again. When I arrived at the consultation for the first time, I did not touch anything, but as we progressed in the treatment I could touch several hours in a row, of course, stopping every hour to rest and stretch. After several months going to Valladolid I have healed, but I must continue to warm up, and especially exercise, because it is important to be in shape and not injure myself again. I wanted to thank Tomás for having helped me and endured so long, because the truth, thanks to you, I can go to study at a Superior Conservatory ".
"I play Spanish guitar as an amateur and about 8 months ago I began to notice pain in the base of the thumb and left forearm while playing, at first I did not give it importance because I have always considered myself with strength in my hands and I could not imagine that a simple instrument could cause hand injuries, so it took me a while to discuss it with specialists. When the pain was becoming increasingly disabling, I consulted him and was diagnosed with a Quervain's tenosynovitis, initially short wave and ultrasound therapies were prescribed. I did not do well, days later the area was infiltrated with corticosteroids and then I wore a firm Quervain wristband for about 8 weeks with the consequent discomfort that it entails for daily activity. When the wristband was removed I noticed that the pain persisted since in the morning and I felt almost worse because I could not stretch my left thumb, later surgery was proposed to me and I began to read so I saw the possible complications and I decided not to have surgery. And from this moment on when I got in touch with Tomás Martin, taking me by surprise that I live a quarter of an hour after his consultation, with the third session of osteopathy I began to feel a notable improvement that was progressive until the end of the treatment. I found it, almost a miracle, to be able to stretch my thumb, the blockages began to disappear and my hand began to feel more natural. It is also very important to follow their postural hygiene advice while playing the instrument so as not to overload your hands or back, as well as to perform, before playing, about 7 minutes of hand exercises. For all this, I wanted to thank Tomás for this good experience of having met him because it has made me regain my enthusiasm for the Spanish guitar ”.
Dra. Marta del Nido. Emergency Physician Hospital Gómez Ulla Madrid-Guitarist
“My name is Alicia, I play the cello, I am 15 years old and I am from Huesca. I just finished my treatment with Tomás, whom I met last year in an injury prevention course. At that time I could barely play 10 minutes in a row due to a pain in my forearm that had been dragging on since April 2012. He diagnosed the injury and gave me a solution, but given the distance between Huesca and Valladolid we looked for something closer. I was treating myself with ozone for several months and although it seemed that from time to time it seemed that I was better, at the beginning of this course I was the same again. So we decided to go to Valladolid and five sessions, ten hours of treatment, I am cured. That does not mean that now I can play as before, this takes a slow process, but thanks to Tomás I have learned to control my movements more, relax my body when playing and most importantly, warm up and stretch before and after playing. play. In short, to start over, but now with the experience behind me and everything I have learned with it ”.
Thanks Tomás!
Alicia Marco cellist Huesca
'' Hi, my name is Javi and I play the guitar. For some years now, I had had pain in my left wrist, which increasingly prevented me from playing my instrument with ease. Little by little I put the guitar aside. At first, I just spent less time on it, then I started playing it on single days. I finally found myself in the situation of not being able to catch it in a year or maybe a little longer. I went to several doctors over the course of a few months, but seeing no results, I desperately searched the web for something that could help me. Luckily I found Dr. Martín's page and got in touch with him. Just by telling him about my case, he was able to tell me what was wrong with me and, after debunking several myths about tendinitis, we began treatment. After a few sessions I saw an improvement that for months I had believed impossible. However, he not only focused on my injury, but on the reason for it, so he began to teach me warm-ups, stretches, rehearsal methods, playing postures, etc. Currently I play my instrument again without feeling any pain, increasing the rehearsal time progressively and always following the instructions of Dr. Martin.
From my point of view, his training as a musician makes him the ideal person to treat this type of injury, since he can observe the cases in a closer way and with large doses of empathy. How many of us who came to him will have done it after wandering from doctor to doctor, without receiving more indications than wristband, rest and ibuprofen? For this and for his professional and close treatment I recommend to anyone who, like me, has not found a solution to his problem, to visit him, since it will not only relieve the pain today, but it will also ensure that the injury does not return tomorrow . Thank you very much, Tomás ”.
Javier Sanz Guitarist (Madrid)
"Hello, my name is Christoph, I am a guitarist. I went desperate to Dr. Tomás' consultation, after having stopped playing for more than a year due to strong and constant pain in a finger on my left hand, Anti-inflammatories, creams, and rest ... they are the prescriptions received during a year that did not give any result. Tomás, however, immediately diagnosed me with an overuse injury not only in the finger but also in the entire left and right arm! The discomfort was disappearing and I have the feeling of having two new arms and hands with greater flexibility than ever. Apart from the treatment itself, Tomás has given me valuable advice on how to work and practice effectively to avoid injury. I believe it is true that I even play better today than ever, since his way of making me see the importance of body / mind / health plays an important role apart from the "mechanical" exercise of playing. I would like to emphasize that his deep knowledge about injuries to musicians and medicine, his professionalism and his incredible treatment and sensitivity together with his capacity for analysis make him a very great person with extraordinary gifts.
I want to give Tomás my deepest thanks and a thousand thanks for helping me to regain the illusion of being able to play again ".
Christoph Guitarist (Madrid)
“A couple of years ago I began to notice slight discomfort in the little finger of my left hand that prevented me from playing the viola for as many hours as I wanted and in the way I wanted. At first I did not give it importance, but seeing that with the passing of the days the pains not only did not subside but also a small inflammation began to appear on the finger, I was informed and by good references, I went to Dr. Tomás Martín. Luckily, my discomfort was not due to any serious injury and in a few sessions the pain and inflammation disappeared completely. There is something about Tomás that I want to highlight, and it is that from those sessions I began to be really aware of the great importance of physical preparation and postural knowledge that musicians should have to face our profession optimizing our time and possibilities to the maximum and above all , without any risk. Likewise, I hope and wish that the work carried out by Dr. Tomás Martín generalizes responsibility and awareness in the classroom among teachers, always educating from the prevention of musculoskeletal injuries and seeking the mind-body balance of students from the first years of teaching ”.
Patricia Gómez Ledesma. Violist (Salamanca)
“I hadn't touched for two months now, because my left hand hurt, but not only could I not touch, I couldn't write on a computer, open doors ... I was very worried. I had been to a physical therapist but it was not completely healing. So I went to see Tomás and the recovery was meteoric. In just three weeks I have made a full recovery. In addition, I'm not going to play again without warming up ever again. Thank you".
Estefanía Garijo del Río Violin student at the Professional Conservatory of Soria