When ever i play cello, i get shooting pains in both arms. I have tried altering my bowhold and finger positioning, but nothing really works. Unfortunatley i dont have much time to `rest` between playing my cello. Has anyone got any suggestion why this happens and how i can stop it?

Check the action e.g. distance between the strings and the fingerboard. If it takes considerable effort to push the strings to the fingerboard, and the action is more than, say, 1/4 inch (pretty darn small), you`re in for some trouble. My action is about half an inch, and as much as I`d like to change this, I can`t at the present time so I`ve gotten used to it and helped myself along by lifting weights and doing grip exercises.

Then there`s the bow. If there`s not enough rosin on your bow, it`ll take considerably more effort to draw it across the string. You also have to make sure your grip is nice and loose and that you don`t use your shoulder in the drawing of the bow... all movement should take place at the elbow. You don`t want to have your elbow into your side, and also you don`t want to have it way high up in the air; it should be a medium distance from your body.

Same with the left arm. Have it at an angle to your body such that your wrist is flat and your fingers can curve easily around the neck to the strings.

Posture...Posture!
Check yr sitting position. Relax! Relax! And Elbow not shoulders. My guess is that yr supporting yr whole arm weight on yr shoulders or the part near there. Try the string puppet ex. by 1.)hanging the arm weight at yr elbow instead. And 2.)let the upper arm( near the shoulders) stay fixed, as if it is screwed to a point. 3.) dangle yr lower arm(near the hand) loosely. Get use to this feel. Now, 4.)try bowing again with this feel.

I`m a professional violinist and i get a terrible pain in my wrist and back when i play violin and cello, I know my posture is correct, still trying to figure out whats wrong

you can go to

http://www.cello.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=tips&tip=tip25

http://www.cello.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=tips&tip=tip27

yup there`s lots of tips at

http://www.cello.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Tips

if your are still having pain, look for a really PRO guy..