PLAYING-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG MUSIC STUDENTS IN EUROPE

Background and aims: The achievement and improvement of musical competences and technical abilities to reach the highest levels of performance may expose music students to a wide range of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). The main aim of the present thesis was to longitudinally identify the factors associated with increased risk of PRMD onset among music students enrolled in different pan-European music institutions. Further goals were to determine the prevalence and incidence of PRMDs amongst music students during their training, as well as to describe and characterise the study population. Methods: 850 students from 56 European conservatories and music universities completed a web-based questionnaire on lifestyle and physical activity participation levels, musical practice habits, behaviours toward prevention, health history and PRMDs, as well as psychological distress, perfectionism and fatigue. The onset of PRMDs was assessed prospectively at 6 and 12 months. Results: At baseline, 560 participants (65.0%) self-reported a positive history of MSK complaints in the previous 12 months, 408 (48.0%) of whom self-reported PRMDs. Self-reported PRMDs were significantly associated with coming from West Europe (RRR=4.524; RRR>1), being a first- or a second-year Masters student (RRR=2.747; RRR>1), having more years of experience (RRR=1.040; RRR>1) and higher rates of perceived exertion after 45 minutes of practice without breaks (RRR=1.044; RRR>1). The incidences of PRMD onset at 6 and 12 months were 28.8% and 49.0%, respectively. Longitudinally, changes in physical activity level (both increase and decrease; 6-month AOR=2.343, 12-month-AOR=2.346; AOR>1), increased levels of fatigue (6-month AOR=1.084, 12-month-AOR=1.081; AOR>1) and increased level of socially-prescribed perfectionism (6-month AOR=1.102; AOR>1) were significantly associated with PRMD onset. The presence of MSK complaints at baseline (6-month AOR=0.145, 12-month-AOR=0.441; AOR<1), as well as changes to BMI and to levels of psychological distress (12-month AOR=0.663 and 0.914, respectively; AOR<1) retarded the onset of PRMDs. Conclusions: Cross-sectional and longitudinal findings showing high prevalence and incidence of PRMDs amongst music students, have been critically appraised as potential correlates, determinants and factors in the development of PRMDs. The findings offer contextualisation for revisiting contemporary evidence-based preventive strategies and optimisation of tailor-made interventions aimed at minimising the impact of PRMDs

EVENTI: un’indagine sulla resilienza delle istituzioni musicali della Svizzera italiana in tempi di pandemia

Nel quadro di una più ampia riflessione sulle ragioni della persistente segmentazione del pubblico degli eventi culturali, questo contributo nasce da un progetto strategico di ricerca sostenuto dalla Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) con il quale si intende indagare come le istituzioni culturali e artistiche attive nella Svizzera italiana stiano affrontando la fase seguita al lock down imposto dalla pandemia di COVID-19. Un team multidisciplinare, in collaborazione con le principali istituzioni culturali attive sul territorio, intende identificare i fattori, le variabili e le soluzioni imposte dalla nuova situazione, allo scopo di mettere a disposizione dei differenti attori strumenti di conoscenza e di lavoro aggiornati. Nella prima fase del progetto, i rappresentanti di cinque enti attivi nella produzione di eventi di musica classica e jazz sono stati intervistati allo scopo di raccogliere informazioni sulla maniera in cui è stato vissuto e gestito il periodo tra la primavera del 2020 e quella del 2021. I primi risultati indicano un paradossale aumento del lavoro organizzativo e degli oneri amministrativi causato dalle procedure per la richiesta di fondi compensativi e dalla necessità di aggiornare costantemente l’offerta. Allo stesso tempo si registra una forte accelerazione nell’uso delle tecnologie digitali e dei social network. Tuttavia, l’ibridazione dei modelli performativi dovuta a questa accelerazione sembra rispondere ad una funzione palliativa, piuttosto che all’esigenza sentita di ridefinire i tradizionali modelli di consumo musicale.Within a broader reflection on the reasons for the persistent segmentation of the audience of cultural events, this contribution stems from a strategic research project supported by the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI). The project investigates how cultural and artistic institutions active in Italian-speaking Switzerland have been coping with the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A multidisciplinary team, in collaboration with the main cultural stakeholder in the region, intends to identify the factors, variables and solutions imposed by the new situation, and provide the various actors with up-to-date knowledge and working tools.&nbsp;Representatives of five organisations active in the production of classical and jazz music events were interviewed in order to collect information on how the period between spring 2020 and spring 2021 was experienced and managed.&nbsp;First results indicate a paradoxical increase in organisational work and administrative burdens caused by the procedures for applying for compensatory funds and the need to constantly update the offer. At the same time, there is a strong acceleration in the use of digital technologies and social networks. However, the hybridisation of performance models related to this acceleration seems to respond to a palliative function, rather than to the felt need to redefine traditional patterns of music consumption.Nel quadro di una più ampia riflessione sulle ragioni della persistente segmentazione del pubblico degli eventi culturali, questo contributo nasce da un progetto strategico di ricerca sostenuto dalla Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) con il quale si intende indagare come le istituzioni culturali e artistiche attive nella Svizzera italiana stiano affrontando la fase seguita al lock down imposto dalla pandemia di COVID-19. Un team multidisciplinare, in collaborazione con le principali istituzioni culturali attive sul territorio, intende identificare i fattori, le variabili e le soluzioni imposte dalla nuova situazione, allo scopo di mettere a disposizione dei differenti attori strumenti di conoscenza e di lavoro aggiornati. Nella prima fase del progetto, i rappresentanti di cinque enti attivi nella produzione di eventi di musica classica e jazz sono stati intervistati allo scopo di raccogliere informazioni sulla maniera in cui è stato vissuto e gestito il periodo tra la primavera del 2020 e quella del 2021. I primi risultati indicano un paradossale aumento del lavoro organizzativo e degli oneri amministrativi causato dalle procedure per la richiesta di fondi compensativi e dalla necessità di aggiornare costantemente l’offerta. Allo stesso tempo si registra una forte accelerazione nell’uso delle tecnologie digitali e dei social network. Tuttavia, l’ibridazione dei modelli performativi dovuta a questa accelerazione sembra rispondere ad una funzione palliativa, piuttosto che all’esigenza sentita di ridefinire i tradizionali modelli di consumo musicale.Nel quadro di una più ampia riflessione sulle ragioni della persistente segmentazione del pubblico degli eventi culturali, questo contributo nasce da un progetto strategico di ricerca sostenuto dalla Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) con il quale si intende indagare come le istituzioni culturali e artistiche attive nella Svizzera italiana stiano affrontando la fase seguita al lock down imposto dalla pandemia di COVID-19. Un team multidisciplinare, in collaborazione con le principali istituzioni culturali attive sul territorio, intende identificare i fattori, le variabili e le soluzioni imposte dalla nuova situazione, allo scopo di mettere a disposizione dei differenti attori strumenti di conoscenza e di lavoro aggiornati. Nella prima fase del progetto, i rappresentanti di cinque enti attivi nella produzione di eventi di musica classica e jazz sono stati intervistati allo scopo di raccogliere informazioni sulla maniera in cui è stato vissuto e gestito il periodo tra la primavera del 2020 e quella del 2021. I primi risultati indicano un paradossale aumento del lavoro organizzativo e degli oneri amministrativi causato dalle procedure per la richiesta di fondi compensativi e dalla necessità di aggiornare costantemente l’offerta. Allo stesso tempo si registra una forte accelerazione nell’uso delle tecnologie digitali e dei social network. Tuttavia, l’ibridazione dei modelli performativi dovuta a questa accelerazione sembra rispondere ad una funzione palliativa, piuttosto che all’esigenza sentita di ridefinire i tradizionali modelli di consumo musicale

Patterns of pain location in music students: A cluster analysis

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterNigel Gleeson - ORCID: 0000-0003-0072-1521 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0072-1521Background: According to existing literature, musicians experience high rates of musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders involving different anatomical areas. The aim of the study was to identify patterns of pain location in a sample of music students enrolled in different pan-European music institutions. A further goal was to explore the association between the identified pain patterns and students’ characteristics. Methods: A total of 340 music students (mean age 23.3 years, 66.2% female) with current MSK pain completed a web-based questionnaire including both background information (i.e. lifestyle and physical activity, practice habits) and clinical features (i.e. pain characteristics, disability, pain self-efficacy, psychological distress, perfectionism and fatigue). Results: Five patterns of pain location were identified by hierarchical cluster analysis: wrist pain (WP) representing 22.6% of the total sample, widespread pain (WSP) (16.9%), right shoulder pain (RSP) (18.5%), both shoulders pain – left concentrated (LSP) (23.2%), neck and back pain (NBP) (18.8%). Amongst the identified patterns of pain location, bivariate analysis identified the WSP cluster as containing the largest number of associated variables. Participants in this cluster reported a higher percentage of women (p < .05), a higher perceived exertion (p < .01) and psychological distress (p < .001), as well as a lower level of self-efficacy (p < .01). Similarly, a higher percentage of participants included in the WSP cluster perceived their musical activity as the main cause of their MSK pain (p < .01). Additionally, a higher level of disability in relation to playing-related activity was reported by participants included in the WP and WSP clusters (p < .001). The RSP cluster was characterised by a higher percentage of participants playing an instrument in a neutral position (p < .001) and lower levels of socially prescribed perfectionism (p < .01). A higher percentage of participants playing an instrument with both arms elevated in the left quadrant position were included in the LSP cluster and a higher percentage of singers were included in the NBP cluster (p < .001). Conclusions: Five distinct patterns of pain location were identified and their associations with the students’ characteristics were explored. These findings may be helpful in the exploration of different aetiologies of MSK pain among musicians and in the development of targeted preventive strategies and treatments.An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.22pubpu

A longitudinal investigation of the factors associated with increased RISk of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in MUsic students (RISMUS): a study protocol.

From Europe PMC via Jisc Publications RouterPublication status: PublishedFunder: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (CH), Grants: 10531C_182226BACKGROUND:The achievement and improvement of skills in musical techniques to reach the highest levels of performance may expose music students to a wide range of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). In order to establish effective solutions for PRMDs and to develop future preventive measures, it is fundamental to firstly identify the main risk factors that play a significant role in the development of musculoskeletal conditions and symptoms. The aim of the study is to identify those factors associated with increased risk of PRMDs among music students. A further goal is to characterise this population and describe the clinical features of PRMDs, as well as to determine the evolving course of PRMDs in music students during their training. METHODS:One hundred and ninety schools have been invited to participate in this study, sixty of which have already confirmed officially their support for the investigation's recruitment procedures, by means of a subsequent distribution of the link to a web-based questionnaire to their student groups (total potential student numbers available: n = 12,000 [based on ~ 200 students per school on average, and 60 volunteering schools]; expected number of students: n = 3000 [based on a 25% response rate from the 12,000 students attending the 60 volunteering schools]). The web-based questionnaire includes questions about any PRMD that students have experienced during their training, and different potential risk factors (i.e. lifestyle and physical activity, practice habits, behaviour toward prevention and health history, level of stress, perfectionism, fatigue and disability). Overall recurrence or new onsets of PRMDs will be assessed at 6 and 12 months after the first data collection to investigate and record the development of new incidents within a period of a year and to enable characterisation of the nature and the evolving course of PRMDs. DISCUSSION:To the best of our knowledge, no other longitudinal studies on risk factors for PRMDs among music students have been conducted so far. Therefore, this study can be considered as an opportunity to begin filling the gaps within current research in this field and to generate new knowledge within musical contexts in education and employment. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT03622190 ), registration date 09/08/2018

Prevalence and associated factors of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders among music students in Europe. Baseline findings from the Risk of Music Students (RISMUS) longitudinal multicentre study

From PLOS via Jisc Publications RouterMusculoskeletal (MSK) conditions among professional musicians and music students are frequent and may have significant physical and psychosocial consequences on their lives and/or on their playing abilities. The Risk of Music Students (RISMUS) research project was set up in 2018 to longitudinally identify factors associated with increased risk of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) in a large sample of music students enrolled in pan-European institutions. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe the prevalence of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) in this novel population at baseline of the RISMUS project. A further goal was to begin to identify variables that might be associated with the self-reported presence of PRMDs among music students. Eight hundred and fifty students from fifty-six conservatories and music universities in Europe completed a web-based questionnaire on lifestyle and physical activity participation levels, musical practice habits, health history and PRMDs, psychological distress, perfectionism and fatigue. A total of 560 (65%) out of 850 participants self-reported a positive history of painful MSK conditions in the last 12 months, 408 (48%) of whom self-reported PRMDs. Results showed that coming from West Europe, being a first- or a second-year Masters student, having more years of experience and higher rates of perceived exertion after 45 minutes of practice without breaks were factors significantly associated with self-reported presence of PRMDs. According to the authors’ knowledge, a large-scale multicentre study investigating prevalence and associated factors for PRMDs among music students at different stages of their education (from Pre-college to Masters levels) has not been conducted before. The high prevalence of PRMDs among music students, especially those studying at university-level, has been confirmed in this study and associated factors have been identified, highlighting the need for relevant targeted interventions as well as effective prevention and treatment strategies.The research data reported in this article is part of RISMUS: A longitudinal investigation of the factors associated with increased RISk of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in Music students, an investigation funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant ref. 10531C_182226) and supported by Queen Margaret University-Edinburgh for the fulfilment of a PhD research award. This funding source had no role in the design of this study and will not have any role during its execution, analysis and interpretation of the data.15pubpub1

Stage Call: Cardiovascular Reactivity to Audition Stress in Musicians

Auditioning is at the very center of educational and professional life in music and is associated with significant psychophysical demands. Knowledge of how these demands affect cardiovascular responses to psychosocial pressure is essential for developing strategies to both manage stress and understand optimal performance states. To this end, we recorded the electrocardiograms (ECGs) of 16 musicians (11 violinists and 5 flutists) before and during performances in both low- and high-stress conditions: with no audience and in front of an audition panel, respectively. The analysis consisted of the detection of R-peaks in the ECGs to extract heart rate variability (HRV) from the notoriously noisy real-world ECGs. Our data analysis approach spanned both standard (temporal and spectral) and advanced (structural complexity) techniques. The complexity science approaches—namely, multiscale sample entropy and multiscale fuzzy entropy—indicated a statistically significant decrease in structural complexity in HRV from the low- to the high-stress condition and an increase in structural complexity from the pre-performance to performance period, thus confirming the complexity loss theory and a loss in degrees of freedom due to stress. Results from the spectral analyses also suggest that the stress responses in the female participants were more parasympathetically driven than those of the male participants. In conclusion, our findings suggest that interventions to manage stress are best targeted at the sensitive pre-performance period, before an audition begins

Factors associated with increased risk of playing-related disorders among classical music students within the Risk of Music Students (RISMUS) longitudinal study

Abstract Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) are common among musicians but longitudinal data on risk factors are limited. The aim of the study was to longitudinally identify the factors associated with increased risk of PRMD onset among music students enrolled in different pan-European music institutions. A further goal was to assess the occurrence of PRMDs during a 12-month period. A total of 442 students without PRMDs from 56 European music universities completed a web-based questionnaire on lifestyle and practice habits, health history, physical activity, psychological distress, perfectionism, and fatigue. PRMD onset was assessed prospectively at 6 and 12 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that changes in physical activity level (6-month AOR = 2.343, 12-month AOR = 2.346), increased levels of fatigue (6-month AOR = 1.084, 12-month AOR = 1.081) and socially-prescribed perfectionism (6-month AOR = 1.102) were significantly associated with PRMD onset, which had occurred in 49% of participants during 12 months. Musculoskeletal complaints reported at baseline (6-month AOR = 0.145, 12-month AOR = 0.441) and changes to BMI (12-month AOR = 0.663) limited the onset of PRMDs. The study’s novel longitudinal findings were appraised critically within the contexts of potential factors for PRMD onset and evidence-based preventive strategies to minimise the impact of PRMDs