Abstract
Background and AimsAccording to existing literature, musicians are at risk of experiencing a range of painful musculoskeletal conditions. Recently, a novel digital technology was developed to investigate pain location and pain extent. The aim of this study was to describe pain location and pain extent in musicians using a digital method for pain drawing (PD) analysis. Additionally, the association between PD variables and clinical features were explored in musicians with pain.MethodsOne hundred and fifty‐eight musicians (90 women and 68 men; aged 22.4 ± 3.6 years) were recruited from Swiss and U.K. conservatories. Participants were asked to complete a survey including both background musical information and clinical features, the QuickDASH (QD) questionnaire, and the digital PDs.ResultsOf the 158 participants, 126 musicians (79.7%) reported having pain, with higher prevalence in the areas of the neck and shoulders, the lower back, and the right arm. The mean percentage of pain extent was 3.1% ± 6.5%. The mean QD score was higher for musicians with pain than for those without pain. Additionally, the results indicated a positive correlation between the QD score and pain extent, and there were significant correlations between age and pain intensity, as well as between pain extent and pain intensity.ConclusionsThe high prevalence of pain among musicians has been confirmed using a digital technique for PD acquisition and analysis. In addition, positive correlations between pain extent and upper limb disability have been demonstrated. Our findings highlight the need for effective prevention and treatment strategies for musicians.
Highlights
The training needed to reach and maintain the highest levels of performance can expose musicians to a wide range of musculoskeletal health problems
Some studies have employed physical tests designed for musicians. 2,11,16 Outside of the performing arts, recent advancements in technology have led to new digital methods of recording pain location and extent.[36,37]
The method involves a user-friendly interface made available on a tablet that contains a collection of body charts and customized software to analyse digital pain drawings (PDs)
Summary
The training needed to reach and maintain the highest levels of performance can expose musicians to a wide range of musculoskeletal health problems. In 1986, the concert pianist Gary Graffman published an article in the New York Times on his own focal dystonia and his difficulties in finding suitable treatment.[8] Since large-scale surveys of musicians have reported a high prevalence of performance-related ill health.[1,9] This phenomenon was described by Zaza, Charles, and Muszynski[10] as playingrelated musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) and includes any pain, weakness, numbness, tingling, or other physical symptoms that affect a musicians’ capacity to sing or to play their instruments at the level they are accustomed to. Designed for athletes and performing artists, was used in this study; it consists of four items, to which the same steps are applied to generate a separate score out of 100
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