Musculoskeletal pain in musicians: does playing more than one instrument have more effect?

Abstract

Objectives. Repeated instrumental practice represents a risk factor for the appearance of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). This study aimed to compare the prevalence and characteristics of PRMDs based on location, pain characteristics and number of hours of instrumental practice, in musicians who play one or more musical instruments.

Methods. An observational study was conducted with music university students in Spain using a questionnaire.

Results: A total of 178 musicians (41%) played a second instrument. Musicians who played only one instrument had a slightly lower mean number of pain sites (M 3.25, SD 1.93; M 3.44, SD 2.27). On the contrary, pain intensity (M 2.72, SD 2.03; M 2.23, SD 1.78 points), pain interference on mood, quality of life and instrumental practice (M 3.04, SD 2.29; M 2.80, SD 2.24 points) as well as the number of hours devoted to instrumental practice (M 21.18, SD 10.47; M 20.03, SD 12.54 h/week) is slightly higher in musicians playing a single instrument.

Conclusions. Pain intensity is the only variable of those analysed that presents statistically significant differences when comparing musicians who play a single instrument with those who play a second instrument, being higher in mono-instrumental musicians.

KEYWORDS:

• musician
• musculoskeletal pain
• mono-instrumental
• multi-instrumental
• playing-related musculoskeletal disorders

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Escola Superior de Saúde Norte – Portuguese Red Cross, Oliveira de Azemeis, Portugal for receiving them at its centre during a formative research stay, from which the analysis of the data collected in this study was conducted. Furthermore, they would like to thank all of the participants in this study and also Mr John Hartup for his help in the translation and correction of the English version.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.