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Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to determine the motor function of the abdominal muscles in singers with and without functional voice disorders and to examine them for possible differences. Additionally, the breathing behaviour and posture control was investigated.
Study Design
Observational study.
Methods:
Female subjects (n = 20) with differing levels of professional competence were used to provide the data for analysis. By using the Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) the grade of dysphonia could be measured, and the subjects were organized in groups. The change of muscle thickness of the M. transversus abdominis (TVA) and the M. obliquus internus abdominis (OIA) during different singing tasks was measured by using ultrasound. The subjects were then asked to perform the Abdominal Hollowing Test (AHT) with the STABILIZER. Finally, the subjects were all filmed while singing. The videos recordings of the singing sessions were analysed by an independent clinical expert regarding breathing and secondary motor activities (SMA). For the statistical analysis, the Mann-Whitney-U Test and the Chi-Square-Test was mainly used.
Results:
The results showed a significantly thinner TVA in the group with dysphonia in comparison to the group without dysphonia. Ultrasound measurements showed significantly higher changes of muscle thickness of the TVA during singing tasks in the group with dysphonia. Regarding the AHT there was a significant difference between the two groups. The group with dysphonia was not able to increase the pressure by 15mmHg. Furthermore, the healthy subjects demonstrated abdominal breathing, while the group with dysphonia present with thoracic breathing. Additionally, it was noted that the subjects with dysphonia showed a higher level of associated movements especially at and/or on the lumbar spine, cervical spine and the left arm and shoulder.
Conclusion:
Differences in TVA-recruitment, breathing behaviour and secondary motor activities while singing were found. This study sparks new ideas for neuromusculoskeletal assessments and therapy.
Key Words
Transversus abdominis, Abdominal muscles, Dysphonia, Ultrasound, Singing voice, Singers
rationale: Musculoskeletal problems are widespread in performing artists and are due to the special demands of instrument playing, singing or dancing. Additionally, various other factors might contribute to performance-related musculoskeletal problems. In order to provide a specific physiotherapeutic management for performing artists, it is important to gain information about the performing art, the individual (biomechanical) demands and contributing factors. The subjective examination is the basis of the clinical reasoning process and the hypothesis forming, which is important for goal setting in further clinical examination and biomechanical analysis. In the present protocol, the subjective examination consists of a questionnaire based section and an interview based section and is part of the evaluation process of the neuromusculoskeletal examination of a performing artist specific reference laboratory.
purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a standardized protocol for an interview based subjective examination of performing artists with musculoskeletal problems. The results of this section of the subjective examination will be combined with the results of the questionnaire based subjective examination , in order to gather as much relevant information as possible to specifically address the individual’s musculoskeletal health status.
methods: A common physiotherapeutic recording of findings which addresses the relevant questions of the subjective examination of musculoskeletal problems was used. In order to adapt the anamnesis to performing-related musculoskeletal problems, questions specific to instrument playing, singing and dancing were selected on the basis of a literature search and the expertise of the research group.
results: The protocol is based on the five aspects of clinical practice described by Maitland and the Musculoskeletal Clinical Translation Framework by Mitchell et al. (2017) .The performing art specific questions especially address (1) performing art specific considerations including style, genre, education and professional level, practice habits, repertoire, and external factors, e.g. concert conditions, (2) performing art specific physical and psychosocial contributing factors, and (3) performing art specific activities which trigger the musculoskeletal problems and help to form hypotheses for the following clinical examination. Individual tracks lead through the subjective examination so that irrelevant questions are skipped depending on the kind of musculoskeletal problem and the performing art practiced by the individual client.
conclusions: A pretest of this standardized anamnesis protocol is ongoing in a special physiotherapy clinic for performing artists since spring 2022. In an iterative approach, the protocol will be continuously improved based on patient feedback and clinical considerations.
background: Musculoskeletal problems (MP) are widespread in performing artists and are due to the special demands of instrument playing, singing or dancing. Additionally, various other factors might contribute to performance-related MP. To provide a specific physiotherapeutic management for performing artists it is important to gain information about the performing art, the individual demands and contributing factors. The subjective examination (SE) is the basis of the clinical reasoning process and the hypothesis forming for further clinical examination and biomechanical analysis. In the present protocol, the SE consists of a questionnaire-based section and an interview-based section and is part of the evaluation process of the neuromusculoskeletal examination of a performing artist specific reference laboratory.
purpose: To develop a standardized SE protocol divided into a questionnaire-based section (Part 1) via web application and an interview-based SE (Part 2) to address MP of performing artists.
methods: The questionnaires for part 1 were selected based on the expertise of the research group and the psychometric properties of each possible questionnaire. A common physiotherapeutic recording of findings which addresses the relevant questions of the SE of MP was used. To adapt the anamnesis to performing-associated MP questions specific to instrument playing, singing and dancing were selected on the basis of a literature search and the expertise of the research group.
summary of content/results: Part 1 consists of three topics. (1) information about the performing art, professional level and sociodemographic data, (2) information about pain and pain processing, and (3) the anatomical location of the main MP including a body region-specific questionnaire. Part 2 is based on the five aspects of clinical practice described by Maitland and the Musculoskeletal Clinical Translation Framework by Mitchell et al. The performing arts specific part is particularly focused on performing art specific considerations, physical and psychosocial contributing factors and art-specific activities.
significance: This standardized SE protocol should help clinicians evaluating the musculoskeletal health of performing artists in a standardized and specific way.
Background: Musculoskeletal problems (MP) are widespread in performing artists and are due to the special demands of instrument playing, singing or dancing. In order to specifically evaluate these problems, a reference laboratory is under development. The evaluation covers 4 steps: a subjective examination (SE) including (1) a questionnaire-based online survey and (2) an interview-based anamnesis. On the basis of the results of the SE, hypotheses are formed for (3) an individual musculoskeletal clinical examination and a (4) biomechanical analysis. Here, the focus is on the clinical examination.
Purpose: to develop a standardized protocol for a clinical examination addressing especially musculoskeletal problems in performing artists.
Methods: A common physiotherapeutic clinical examination should be supplemented with techniques, which are specific to performance-related musculoskeletal problems and/or their risk factors. The development was based on a literature search and the clinical expertise of the physiotherapeutic research group.
Summary of content/Results: The performing arts specific clinical examination includes the common analysis of posture as well as passive/active movement capacities and specific differentiating tests in relation to the signs and symptoms of the individual artist. The examination is supplemented by a functional demonstration focusing on the special demands of playing the respective instrument, while singing or dancing. Common overuse risk factors like hypermobility, special anthropometric data or an examination of the motor control of different body regions are addressed. Optional, the various parts of the examination process could be skipped, if not relevant for the individual artist.
Significance: This clinical examination protocol should help clinicians evaluating the musculoskeletal health of performing artists in a standardized and specific way.
Rationale
Playing the trombone can lead to playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD). Previous research suggests that professional trombonists predominantly struggle with PRMD on the left body side. An increasing volume leads to an increasing contact pressure on the mouthpiece of the trombone, but it is still unclear how the muscle activity relates to this and whether it differs in musicians with PRMD from those without PRMD.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the activity of different muscles of the left body side, the contact pressure on the mouthpiece and the volume level in healthy trombonists.
Methods
Six male healthy tenor trombonists were included in this study and run through a standardized protocol which consisted of playing a b-flat major scale with three different volume levels (pianissimo, mezzoforte, fortissimo). Analyzed parameters were (1) the activity of several muscles of the left body side (measured with surface electromyography), (2) the contact pressure on the mouthpiece (measured with a force sensor) and (3) the different volume levels.
Results
Analysis of variance reveals significant differences of the muscle activity for the three volume levels. Depending on the volume level and the selected muscle, results show very weak to moderate correlations between contact pressure on the mouthpiece and muscle activity (Spearman´s rho between .11 and .58). The strongest correlation across all muscles occurs during fortissimo playing.
Conclusions
These results show a relationship in healthy trombonists between volume level, contact pressure on the mouthpiece and muscle activity when playing a b-flat major scale. Future research should include trombonists with PRMD to enable comparison between PRMD and non-PRMD musicians.
Educational Objectives:
At the end of the presentation, the participants will be able to…
1. understand the relationship between muscle activity, contact pressure on the mouthpiece and volume when playing the trombone
2. recognize that there are different muscle activity patterns on the left body side when playing the trombone
3. understand that a comprehensive functional diagnosis is important in the management of musicians
Rationale:
Instrumentalists often suffer from playing-related (neuro-)musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). Most common PRMDs in string players are related to upper-body regions. Motion analysis has proven to be helpful in the evaluation of functional disorders. It was already shown that it is a valid and clinically feasible tool for accurate, repeatable, and objective assessments of functional movement in string players. Thus, it may guide clinicians to improvements in injury prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Nevertheless, its application in clinical consultation is still very uncommon. For this reason, there is a lack of well-established motion analysis protocols for the examination of PRMDs in string players using advanced biomechanical instruments in clinical settings.
Purpose:
To demonstrate the development and application of a motion analysis protocol for the evaluation of functional upper-body movements in violinists, violists, and cellists in a clinical setting for the investigation of PRMDs.
Approach:
The protocol was to be integrated into a clinical reasoning process for testing clinical hypotheses and evaluating treatment outcomes in physiotherapy. As a starting point, a primary clinical question was defined, and then, specific upper-body symptom regions as well as measurement parameters (relative rotation angles and muscle activities over time) were identified. Subsequently, involved segments, joints, and muscles were assorted. For quantification of upper-body kinematics a novel, marker-based method was used which provides multi-segmented shoulder and spine models while providing simple application. Based on that, a comprehensive mechanical model of the upper body as well as the associated coordinate systems and rotation sequences were specified. This further guided both, the definition of a custom-made marker set as well as the selection and placement of surface electrodes. Furthermore, required static and functional calibration trials as well as movement tasks for functional assessment were specified. Finally, advanced approaches, such as a comprehensive kinematic model and functional determination of joint centers and axes were established for extraction. Then, outcome parameters and their form of representation were determined for further analysis and interpretation.
The application of the method first includes the selection of segments, joints, and muscles to examine – originating from one or more clinical (working) hypotheses or symptom regions. This drives the configuration and placement of required surface markers and electrodes. Then, the required calibration and functional movement trials are executed. After measurement, the outcome parameters get extracted and analyzed. Based on the results the hypothesis is discarded or verified.
Content:
The method was applied to a violinist (female; 18 years old; 13 years of experience; practicing 2 to 3 hours per day, 7 days per week) with playing-related demands in the left cervical-shoulder-arm region.
Subjective findings indicated that the pain regularly occurred after 30 minutes of playing fast or difficult musical pieces. Physical examination showed that strength testing of left serratus anterior muscle caused pain, lower trapezius muscles seemed weak, forearm muscles were sensitive to pressure, movement of the cervical spine to the left was reduced, and upper limb neural tension test was noticeable.
This led to the following working hypothesis: Neck-related arm pain with neurodynamic component and motor control problem in the scapulothoracic region. Thus, left-sided cervical-shoulder-arm region was selected for functional examination.
Optoelectronic motion capture system and surface electromyography were used for data collection. Static and function calibration trials as well as functional assessment trials (chromatic scale with different tempi) were conducted. Afterwards, data was further processed, and outcome parameters were extracted.
Results showed that greater tempo and pain had an impact on the rotation angles and muscle activities. They led to less overall joint movement and range of motion, to less muscle activity in the forearm muscles, and to greater activity inputs in the scapulothoracic muscles. Overall, greater tempo and pain led to a different motor program which verified the working hypothesis.
The procedure was repeated after treatment (four appointments over one week) with manual therapy, training, and education. The pre-/post-interventional comparison showed changes in the motor program. There was noticeable higher mean activity in upper trapezius and deltoid muscles and simultaneously less in the remaining ones. In addition, only marginal differences in ranges of motion and muscle activity inputs were found between tempi. The playing style appeared to be more stable now. Overall, it appeared that nearly the same motor program was used for each tempo.
Clinical Implications:
Potential applications are intraindividual evaluations of simultaneously joint and muscular function in string players during clinical consultation. It is intended to contribute to the diagnosis of PRMDs in terms of an objective, comprehensive and yet clinically feasible diagnostic assessment as well as pre-post-intervention outcome evaluation.
Nonetheless, motion analysis must be used with care in clinical decision making. Motion data is subject to both, intraindividual variations, and measurement errors. In addition, the smallest clinically relevant changes are not clear yet. Therefore, results should only be interpreted together with other clinical findings.
Objective
Brass players are exposed to high musculoskeletal strains during their instrumental play. Various assessments can be used to measure these strains, whereby a targeted therapy can also be supported. The aim of this study was to review literature concerning assessments used in quantitatively based studies about the analysis of musculoskeletal loads of brass players.
Data sources
The Cochrane Library, PubMed, CINAHL, PEDro as well as the journal “Medical Problems of Performing Artists” were searched for relevant studies.
Study selection
Two reviewers independently applied the inclusion and exclusion criteria to select potential studies. A third reviewer was involved in the case of discrepancies.
Data extraction
Two reviewers independently extracted the data.
Data synthesis
A total of 73 studies conducted between 2004 and 2019 were included. Within a total of 30 studies, 18 assessments could be found that collect 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional kinematic data using video- or image-based analysis of posture, sonographic, optoelectronic and various electromagnetic systems. In 7 studies kinetic data were measured by force-transducers, pressure platforms, stabilizer and dynamometer. Fifteen studies used clinical examinations and additional assessments to screen individual body regions and 9 studies derived electromyography measurements from a total of 25 muscles. Thirty-one partially validated questionnaires were used to record musculoskeletal pain of brass players.
Conclusions
A variety of assessments can be used to optimize analysis and treatment procedures in research and clinical work. Future studies should both examine quality criteria of the various assessment methods and validate clinical examinations and questionnaires.
Currently, the treatment of musicians is an interprofessional approach. Playing-related health complaints may impact the performance of a musician. In Germany, a medical consulting hour for musicians exists, but those for athletes in sports medicine are not so common. The diagnosing and treatment procedure within the physiotherapy consultation for musicians follows a specific concept-b and requires knowledge of instruments and musician-specific complaints. Based on the consulting hour in a clinic in Osnabrueck, 614 case reports were part of this sample, of which 558 data sets were complete. The focus of the analysis is the instrument and the primary complaint. Also, the type of therapy is characterized, and the amount is calculated. Primary complaints of musicians, in general, are found most frequently in the spine and upper extremity. Musician complaints are different between instruments. Instrumentalists have a significantly higher chance to suffer from a primary complaint in the area of the upper extremity. Furthermore, the groups without an instrument (e.g., singing or dancing) are developing complaints in the anatomical area which they primarily use. Therefore, these types of therapy were used: physiotherapy, manual therapy, and osteopathy with an average of 5.9 treatment units. This study underpinned the importance of musician-specific physiotherapy as a profession to treat musicians. Also, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to treat all aspects of complaints.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Research in music medicine has reported incidence rates of musculoskeletal disorders of approx. 70% in instrumental musicians. String players have the highest risk, with rates of performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) of 65% to 88%. Playing the violin or viola requires complex neuromusculoskeletal skills, and the high frequency of repetitive movements, dynamic and static muscle load, awkward postures, poor technique, and practice time are factors causing musculoskeletal strain. In ergonomic terms, these disorders can be categorized based on extrinsic and intrinsic loads. Identification of intrinsic loads, such as muscle utilization and joint motion, is necessary to understand factors influencing musculoskeletal disorders associated with violin playing. The aim of this study was to review the literature on musculoskeletal demands in violin and viola playing.
METHODS: A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, COCHRANE, and CINAHL electronic databases from 1999 to 2015 using the search terms violin, viola, high strings, movement, posture, and synonyms. A manual search of Medical Problems of Performing Artists was also conducted. Additional references were identified by searching the citations and reference lists of all identified relevant studies. RESULTS: The results suggest that an asymmetric playing posture, the associated muscle activity, and joint mobility may contribute to musculoskeletal problems in violin and viola players. Evidence suggests an increased load of intrinsic factors in violin/viola performance.
CONCLUSION: The identification of intrinsic loads in violin and viola playing may facilitate the development of prevention strategies and interventions.