Take Your Medicine
If you do develop pain, don’t panic. Sometimes a new playing technique will cause temporary aches. But if the pain persists, talk to your teacher. Rest more, and stop playing when it hurts. There’s disagreement over whether to apply ice or heat to the problem area, but Palac says, “Ice for ten minutes to an hour can’t hurt you.”

Go to your doctor, and explain exactly where it hurts and what you’re doing when the pain starts. He or she may not be completely familiar with the injuries that arise from playing, so you may need to visit a specialist in ­performing-arts medicine, or, if that’s too far away, a good sports-medicine doctor. (This may cost more than seeing a general physician, but your problem will likely be solved in only one or two visits.)

Do what the doctor tells you to do.

If you’re supposed to take an anti-­inflammatory for two weeks, do it for the entire two weeks; don’t stop early, because even if the pain is gone the underlying inflammation may not yet be completely eliminated.

Teen Strings associate editor Tiffany Martini contributed to this article.