Thumb giving you trouble? Here is how to strengthen your thumb to better support the instrument with good joint alignment

Too often the weight of our instruments causes hand pain, weakness, and difficulty stabilizing the instrument. When the thumb is not able to support the weight of the instrument, the thumb flexes into a zig zag shape resulting in joint pain.

Let’s start off by addressing hand anatomy. Of the 30 muscles in the hand, we will address 3 key muscles used in supporting the clarinet: adductor pollicis, extensor pollicis brevis, and extensor pollicis longus. These three muscles working in harmony keep the thumb in good alignment when the weight of the instrument is placed upon it.

Adductor pollicis brings the base of the thumb (first metacarpal) closer to the palm and the extensors pull the phalanges into the thumbrest of the instrument. In many young musicians, adductor pollicis is not strong enough to stabilize the first metacarpal putting the thumb into the zig-zag position. Once in this position, the extensors are put at a disadvantage to raise the end of the thumb against the weight of the instrument. For this reason I call adductor pollicis the secret workhorse of the clarinet.

Strengthening your thumb

To strengthen the thumb, get a large rubber band like the kind that comes on broccoli or asparagus in the grocery store. Hold your right hand in playing position and loop the rubber band over the end of your thumb where the thumbrest would go. Next, hold your hand completely still like a statue and start tugging and pulling the rubber band in all directions around the thumb. Do not pull harder than you can maintain alignment- the thumb should not be moving.