Musicians with Dystonia Bulletin Board

I've had FD for about 8 years and though BAPAM helped a little (and like you, VERY slow progress over a year or two), my fastest progress has been in the last six months working by myself, putting together my own regime based on concepts from several people that have recovered or have had success helping people recover. Last year I could not play anything, now I am playing Guiliani RH studies and intermediate arpeggio repertoire, albeit slowly and quietly. In any case, a massive improvement and whats more, measurable improvement (using a metronome) each month. In the last few months i have started playing the PAMI arpeggio - this has been impossible for me for years!

It would take a lot of writing to explain it all, but my sources are here;

http://www.freeyourmovement.com/
HKC's story of his recovery (in the archive here)
http://www.markashford.com/engine/SID/1000164/AID/101536.htm (the Sakai study especially - note another of Katherine's patients!)
This recent post helped a lot too;
http://www.dystonia-bb.org/forums/mwd/posts/1671.html
The idea of concentrating on the sensory input rather than trying to control the motor output makes a lot of sense and ties in neatly with Farias' ideas around propioceptive stimulation (top link) and indeed some of the things I've heard about Joaquin Fabra's approach (see previous board discussions).

Lots to take in, but once you begin to see the parallels it becomes simpler.

I agree about your short practice times though the benefits of tieing fingers together, wearing latex gloves etc are fairly short lived. Nice for reassurance though.

Hope you stick around, and don't forget to read the archives!