Embouchure Collapse - Embouchure Overuse Syndrome

Embouchure Overuse Syndrome

This is a far more common cause of embouchure collapse. As the name suggests, embouchure collapse may be caused by "overuse"—or in simple terms, playing "too much."

Most brass players at some time experience lip swelling (or "stiff lips"). When a player is forced to continue playing despite this, the resulting stress can cause a chain of injuries that lead to embouchure collapse.

Generally speaking, the best way of overcoming swollen lips is to refrain from playing, or to practice for a shorter period of time and with a good warm-up in the days following any period of extensive playing. When a player is deprived of the opportunity to recuperate after a period of extensive playing, the simple matter of swollen lips is not allowed to heal, and the player is forced to work harder to compensate for diminished lip strength. Eventually, the player's facial muscles may collapse under the strain of playing.