Musicians' physical health

How can music, which does so much good to the mind and body, generate suffering and physical difficulties that can, in the worst cases, lead to a reduction or cessation of musical activities? Every profession entails risks, and the role of various state bodies and institutions, and of course employers, is to prevent as far as possible any accident, illness or infirmity resulting from professional activities. As far as musicians themselves are concerned, they need to pay particular attention to their lifestyle, especially in terms of nutrition, physical fitness - including cardiac endurance and breath control - and posture. Like office workers who spend too long in front of their computers, most instrumentalists often spend a lot of time seated. Combined with the habit of sitting too long or constantly in the wrong position, this can lead to inflammation of the muscles, which can quickly become painful. Medication is the easy solution, but it carries risks (side effects, also in combination with other treatments, addiction, lack of concentration and drowsiness), whereas physiotherapy, combining postural prevention, warm-up and stretching exercises, physical rehabilitation, muscle strengthening and relaxation, is more effective in tackling the causes rather than alleviating the symptoms. In Switzerland, in addition to physiotherapy, treatments such as chiropractic and occupational therapy are covered by basic health insurance. However, supplementary insurance is required for partial reimbursement of other treatments such as osteopathy or the Feldenkrais method, to name but two.

Ideally, we'd like to be able to treat upstream, but preventive massages are not normally included in basic insurance benefits. And yet, this would avoid much higher costs in the event of tendonitis, focal dystonia or other muscular problems. Now that in-house massages are becoming increasingly popular, and every top sports team has its own physiotherapist or therapists, shouldn't this also become a service included in all major instrumental ensembles?

A taboo subject

Frequently, musicians, especially freelancers, tend to minimize or conceal health problems related to their musical practice, whereas early detection would enable ailments to be treated more quickly, before they become serious. It is often economically difficult to limit the number of engagements, even if muscle fatigue is a real threat. What's more, when faced with what may be perceived as a personal failing or a problem due to technique, the instrumentalist runs the risk of feeling wrongly guilty and of striving to find a solution solely on his or her own, rather than confiding in a specialist - indeed, there are now therapists who are experts in the treatment of physical or psychological disorders linked to the practice of music, while research in this field is also booming.

Global health

One of the causes of pathologies specific to musical practice stems from the ergonomics of the instruments themselves, which do not always correspond to the natural physical predispositions of humans. This factor can be exacerbated by the duration of daily practice, particularly at rehearsals and concerts, where potential stress, long periods of sitting, limited opportunities for relaxation, specific conditions at the concert venue (e.g. narrow or sloping stage, heat, humidity), not to mention the demands made on endurance and concentration, as well as, where applicable, the complexity and speed of the execution of certain lines.

Apart from serious musculoskeletal disorders, every functional alteration, every minor health problem can disrupt instrumental playing. The need to maintain a good metabolic balance, to avoid fatigue and anxiety, to control one's emotions, is essential to maintain a high level of performance quality. Few professions demand such high standards, with the added pressure of constant evaluation of individual or collective artistic performances by audiences, patrons or music critics. Everything must be done to ensure that nothing disturbs these high-level skills.

USDAM's commitment to health

With this in mind, USDAM is a member of Swissmedmusica (SMM) and is represented on the health expert group of the Swiss Performers' Foundation (SIS). It takes an active interest in health-related issues in the music industry.

In the event of problems related to music medicine, USDAM offers its members advice, financial and legal support, and organizes continuing education sessions on the subject - partly in collaboration with SMM and SIS.