Survey of Health Problems in Musical Theater Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Musical theater performers are the "triathletes" in the performing arts. The field requires versatility in a combination of skills including dancing, singing, and drama in a high frequency of performances. The aim of this study was to analyze and evaluate the health situation of musical theater students using a complete musical educational institute as an example (n = 37). The basis for the evaluation was a questionnaire survey (standardized F 1000). All students of the school participated (20 males, 17 females). Of the students, 62% have a part-time job for financial reasons, and 67.7% state only a "partial satisfaction" with their body. Regarding injury, 45.9% claim to sustain an orthopaedic injury up to twice a year, and 29.7% up to three or four times. A total of 49 acute injuries (1.3/student) and 42 chronic complaints (1.1/student) were stated. The lower extremity was the most common acutely injured region (65.3%), followed by the spine (16.3%) and upper extremity (14.3%). Of chronic complaints, the lumbar spine was the most commonly affected area, followed by the hip joint and pelvic area. Thirty-three and 24% of acute injuries occurred during "spins" and/or "stretching," respectively. There were various causes for physical and mental problems. The results show both parallels and differences to the relevant literature. It is shown that health hazards already arise in the education of musical performers. This provides particulars for the implementation of injury prevention measures during the theoretical and practical education of musical students.