One thing I think is unfortunately often overlooked as musicians is our health. We are in a field that requires constant movement of different muscles that can lead to repetitive stress injuries. We often have to move large pieces of equipment that can, over time, lead to overuse injuries in our backs and shoulders. We often don't spend enough time examining our posture and playing position. And we constantly look at music that is usually too small for us to actually be able to read without eyestrain. So a few tips:

1) Always stretch before playing. Stretch the back, hands, shoulders etc. so that blood is properly flowing to prevent injuries later. This will also help keep muscles from being tense and receiving extra strain as you play.

2) Get your eyes checked regularly. I can honestly say that at least once a year I have to tell a student to go get their eyes checked because they have problems actually seeing the music clearly.

3) Play in front of mirrors or video yourself to check posture. Look for any positioning that looks unusual or abnormal because that is probably adding extra strain to some part of your body.

4) Warm-up before you play. Even if it is just one of your pieces warm-up slowly so the muscles have time to loosen up before you start going full steam ahead.

5) See a chiropractor. I know this can be controversial to some but chiropractors have kept me up and running for years. As a percussionist a lot of extra strain is put on my back muscles and I couldn't survive without their alignments. They can also help prevent injuries in other parts of the body through correct spinal alignment.

6) If you feel pain STOP! Pain is NOT normal when you play. See if it goes away and if it doesn't go see someone immediately. Many great players have had their careers ended by "playing through the pain".