I have quite a while to think about this and I have decided that whilst a correct hand positioning is important for everyone that learns to play the piano, it is even more important for middle aged people and older to have a correct hand position. This is not scientific fact as far as I know, this is just my opinion.
As I have stated in earlier blog posts, I manage to sustain injuries with both my wrists, at different times during my twenties. From these events I figured out that a big part of the problem was that I was holding my wrists too tightly every single time I practiced. I learned my lesson, adjusted my technique and then made sure that all of my subsequent students would not end up with the issues I did.
Fast forward to a few decades later and I have realized that my hands and wrists are not as nimble as they once was. Some days I would describe them as being a bit stiff. I’m not the only one though. As we age, our bodies don’t necessarily function the way they used to function and sometimes they can become very stiff. Fortunately, so far, I haven’t had stiffness in my fingers.
So now I am at a point in my life that forcing my way through stiffness means I experience pain. Also, sudden and unusual movements can set off pain, which has brought me to the conclusion that I have to be more careful now, compared to when I was younger, and that I have to think about how I can tackle certain tasks so I can not set off a painful joint.
As a result of my own personal experience, I have come to the conclusion that it is even more important for a middle aged person or older to hold their hands in a correct position whilst playing the piano.
Correct positioning means comfortably rounded hands and fingers, where you are using the fingertips to press the notes, not the part where your fingerprint is. Wrists must not be down, but either parallel with the hands or ever so slightly higher – this allows the fingers not to get cramped up and it will also allow gravity to work in your favor when some strength is required to play loudly. Shoulders also should be relaxed. Your whole body should look and feel quite relaxed.
Two last but very important points: the first is if you feel any pain, stop right away and adjust something so you are not in pain. The second point is that if you have any pain issues whilst playing the piano then I would recommend seeking the advice of a doctor or a physiotherapist.