A career in music can be one of the most rewarding of professions, but it also places considerable demands on the performers. At times, this can produce a range of occupational health issues.
The last twenty years have seen a considerable change in the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of a range of musician injuries. The effectiveness of early diagnosis and specific treatment, and the access to general information about the propensity of postural and tension issues that cause (often complex) injuries, has changed the impact these health issues have on the length and quality of many musicians' careers.
We hope these resources will help musicians prevent injury in the first place. Recognizing the symptoms of minor injuries and seeking help early, rather than ignoring and allowing them to compound, is an important part of this process. Symptoms such as pain, tingling or numbness, fatigue, loss of control, hoarseness, and ringing or buzzing in the ears are all indicators of potentially serious injury. If experiencing these symptoms, the student should stop, rest, and seek medical advice. It is extremely important that student musicians arm themselves with knowledge, are attentive to signs of discomfort, and discuss concerns with faculty.
The Penn State School of Music is working to ensure that we provide current information about health and safety. This page lists general health information that is applicable to all musicians, regardless of instrument or voice. Please use the links at the bottom to find health information that applies to specific areas of applied study.Definitions of common disorders:
- Bursitis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Focal Dystonia
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- TemporoMandibular Joints Disorder
- Tendinitus (tendonitis)
- Tendinosis/Tendinopathy
- Tenosynovitis/DeQuervain's Syndrome
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Trigger Finger/Thumb
Injury Prevention for Musicians (General):
- International Foundation for Performing Arts Medicine
- Musicians Health.com
- Musicians Health Collective
- A New Understanding of Overuse Injuries (broken link)
- The Musician’s Way - Gerald Klickstein/web resource
- Musician's Health (various articles)
- 5 Causes of Musicians' Injuries & Heeding the Signs of Injury - Gerald Klickstein
- Musician, Heal Thyself - from Peabody Magazine (broken link)
- Exercise for Musicians: Play Fit, Not Flat - Bronwen Ackermann, Ph.D.
- Playing (less) Hurt - Janet Horvath. Kearney, NE: Morris Publishing, 2002
- Textbook of Performing Arts Medicine, 3rd Edition - Sataloff, Brandfonbrener, and Lederman. New York, NY: Raven Press, 2010
- The Athletic Musician: A Guide to Playing Without Pain - Barbara Paull and Christine Harrison. Canadian Medical Association, 1998
- The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music From the Heart. Madeline Bruser. Bell Tower, NY: Three Rivers Press, 1999
- The Musician’s Way; a Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness - Gerald Klickstein. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2009
- The Inner Game of Music - Barry Green and Timothy W. Gallwey. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1986
- Repetitive Strain Injuries - Timothy J. Jameson. New Canaan, CT: McGraw-Hill, 1998
- Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within - Kenny Werner. New Albany, IN: Jamey Aebersold; Pap/Com edition, 1996
Hearing Protection:
- Protect Your Hearing Every Day (NASM)
- Hear Today. Hear Tomorrow - Gerald Klickstein
- About Hearing Loss - HearNet.com.
- SoundAdvice - Noise at Work in Music and Entertainment
- A Sound Ear II - the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and Their Impact on Orchestras - ebook published by the Association of British Orchestras
- Music Induced Hearing Loss Presentation - How Can You Protect Yourself?
- Allowable Weekly Sound Exposure
Performance Anxiety:
- Conquering Performance Anxiety from Inside Out - Helen Spielman
- Coping with Music Performance Anxiety - University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Counseling Services (broken link)
- Becoming a Confident Performer & Assessing Your Performance Skills - Gerald Klickstein
Repetitive Strain Injuries:
- Repetitive Strain Injuriy (RSI) - Hilary King, MSTAT
- Neuropathy of Ulnar Nerve (Entrapment)
- Conquering Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Other Repetitive Strain Injuries - Sarah Butler. Advanced Press: Paoli PA, 1995
Alexander Technique
- AlexanderTechnique.com
- American Society for Alexander Technique
- The American Center for Alexander Technique
- The Alexander Technique - Sara Cohoe
- Balanced Shoulders, Open Heart. “Sitting Tall - The Musician’s Way Blog
- Alexander Technique videos - Eileen Troberman
- Warm-ups for Musicians using Alexander Technique (youtube)
- Alexander technique articles for musicians - Pedro de Alcantara
- Alexander Technique for Musicians. Articles and links from the Alexander Technique Center
- The Sum Total Value of Non-Doing - Bill Plake
- How to Learn the Alexander Technique, a Manual for Students, Third Edition - Barbara Conable. Portland, OR: Andover Press, 1995
- The Alexander Technique for Musicians, Indirect Procedures, 2nd Edition - Judith Kleinman and Peter Buckoke. Bloomsbury Methuen Drama, 2014
- How You Stand, How You Move, How You Live - Missy Vineyard. Da Capo Press, 2007
Pilates:
- Pilates for Musicians
- Pilates Alleviates Common Injuries Suffered by Musicians - International Musician
- How Pilates Helps Musicians Prevent and Treat Injury to Enhance Performance - Foundation Pilates
- The Balanced Body: Musicians and Pilates - (youtube)
Feldenkrais Method:
- An Overview of the Feldenkrais Method - Ralph Strauch
- The International Feldenkrais Federation
- The Feldenkrais Guild of North America
- The Feldenkrais Guild
- The Australian Feldenkrais Guild
Body Mapping:
- Music Minus Pain - Lea Pearson
- BodyMap.org - Barbara Conable
- What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body - Barbara Conable and Benjamin Conable. GIA, 2000
Yoga:
Healthy Computer Use:
- How to Make Your Computer Workstation Fit You - WorkSafeBC.com
- Workspace Comfort Guide - 3M
Local Resources:
Alexander Technique -Dr. Robyn Costa, rlc40@psu.edu, (814) 769-3057 WEBSITE
Hearing/Audiology - Leslie A. Purcell, Doctor of Audiology, Instructor and Audiology Clinic Coordinator, 404G Ford Building, University Park, PA 16802, lxp80@psu.edu, 814-865-0797
Kiyomi K. Goto, DO - office phone: 814.272.4445, option 1, email: kgoto@pennstatehealth.psu.edu, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation
Health Information for Brass Players
Health Information for Woodwind Players
Health Information for String Players
Health Information for Percussionists
Health Information for Pianists
Health Information for Singers