Medical Problems of Performing Artists

AIMS: In classical ballet, dancers may wear flat shoes and pointe shoes. To consider the kinematic changes between flat shoes and pointe shoes to prevent injuries, it is essential to focus on the fundamental ballet movement of standing on pointe. This study aimed to clarify the differences in the center of pressure (COP) displacement and lower limb muscle activity during the descending phase of a relevé when wearing pointe shoes versus flat shoes. METHODS: Ten amateur ballet dancers volunteered for this study and performed a reléve wearing flat shoes and pointe shoes...

AIMS: To analyze headache and pain in the mandibular region as well as the self-perception of fatigue, difficulty and level of performance during instrumental practice when using a face mask. To analyze their influence in relation to the duration of practice. METHODS: Observational study through the completion of an online questionnaire among students and teachers in public conservatories in Spain. RESULTS: In 552 respondents (435 students, 117 teachers), the incidence of headache was 28...

AIMS: The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the performing arts sector by temporarily closing venues. As venues reopened, COVID-19 symptom self-reporting and monitoring were one tool to identify potentially symptomatic cast and crew, who would then undergo contact tracing, testing, or isolation to prevent spreading COVID-19. However, the compliance rates for submitting a COVID-19 self-monitoring checklist among undergraduate performing art majors remain unknown. METHODS: This retrospective medical chart review investigated 282 cast and crew (68 males and 214 females) regarding their daily COVID-19 symptom report documents across the genres of dance, musical theater, and vocal performance throughout the production runs of 11 performances at a midwestern United States university's integrated performing arts campus...

AIMS: Pain catastrophizing is characterized by a set of negative emotional and cognitive processes in response to pain, with a tendency to focus inordinately on the painful sensation, exaggerate the damage, and perceive feelings of helplessness. It is a psychological factor that can be treated to help people more effectively cope with pain. In this cross-sectional study, we explored the relationship between self-reported injuries, resilient behavior, and pain catastrophizing in dance students, with more than 3 years of study in public conservatories or private academies...

BACKGROUND: Disordered eating (DE) behaviors are relatively common among high-level dancers, especially in classical ballet. At the same time, interventions aimed at reducing DE behaviors in this population are scarce. METHODS: An 8-week exploratory preventive intervention for DE behaviors was carried out in a high-level ballet school for 40 teenagers aged 12-15 years (77.5% female). Both risk factors (perfectionism) and potentially protective factors (self-esteem, self-compassion) for the development of DE behaviors were considered...

BACKGROUND: Playing-related musculoskeletal pain is common among music students. We aimed to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and the factors associated with the presence of musculoskeletal pain among music students in public music conservatories in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: Participants included 383 music students, age 12-18 years, from Tehran, Iran. A cross-sectional study was performed from October to November 2021 through convenience sampling. Demographic characteristics and musculoskeletal pain were collected using a self-report questionnaire, the Numerical Rating Scale, and the Nordic Body Map questionnaire, respectively...

OBJECTIVE: Musculoskeletal pain is a common problem among professional musicians as well as music students. Studies have emphasized the effectiveness of music-specific physiotherapy for affected musicians. This study was designed to evaluate if physiotherapy treatment of pain-affected music students had an impact on pain perception as well as psychological well-being. To explore the possible development of musculoskeletal pain, depression, and anxiety, a second sample of pain-free music students, matched for age and gender, was examined twice at identical time intervals...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the vocal health literacy level and attitudes of professional and amateur performing artists in Greece and identify possible gaps and limitations that should be addressed in the future. METHODS: This mixed-methods study took place in two successive stages. The first stage involved 4 focus groups with professional and amateur actors and singers. The focused discussions of this stage, which were moderated by one otolaryngologist and one speech and language therapist, provided necessary information for the design of the structured questionnaire used during the second stage of the study (online survey)...

OBJECTIVE: Dexterity is one of the abilities required for different types of work and is divided into manual and finger dexterity. The aim of this study was to examine whether there was a difference in manual and finger dexterity between musicians and nonmusicians, and between musicians divided by instrument groups and nonmusicians. METHODS: The study included 128 participants (96 musicians, 32 nonmusicians). Musicians were divided into three groups as wind, string, and keyboard instrument players...

OBJECTIVE: The feet of professional dancers are exposed to high work-related stresses. To date, data from the professional dance sector concerning this matter are lacking. The aim of this exploratory project was to analyze and evaluate skin health in the foot area with regard to the prevalence of dermatoses, their locations, as well as gender-specific and load-specific differences. METHODS: Professional classical and neo-classical ballet dancers were examined at two time points: in a phase with increased stress (T0: daily training sessions, rehearsals, and high performance frequency) (n=51, 35 females, 16 males) and after a 24-day rest phase (T1: n=35, 28 females, 7 males)...

BACKGROUND: Prolonged sitting and performance hours in musicians may lead to an increased risk of musculoskeletal pain around the spine and pelvis. This situation may lead to an asymmetry of spinal segments, which in turn may correlate with muscle contractions around the lumbopelvic area and can lead to musculoskeletal pelvic girdle pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the segmental mobility of the vertebral column in two groups of musicians, those with and without pelvic girdle pain...

UNLABELLED: Rupture of the orbicularis muscle of the lips in wind musicians is known as Satchmo's syndrome because it is assumed that Louis Armstrong (nicknamed Satchmo) suffered this condition. But whether Louis Armstrong really had this problem or not has never been documented. AIMS: This study is a biographical review and an analysis of the existing photographs of Armstrong's lip with the aim of better understanding the origin and progression of his disorder...

High-fidelity premolded earplugs (HiFi HPDs) are designed to provide relatively uniform attenuation across frequencies. The primary goal of this study was an exploratory analysis of relationships between attenuation and perceptions of sound quality. Participants were 16 adults tested using commercial HiFi HPDs marketed for use at recreational music events. Survey responses did not reveal statistically significant differences in perceived sound quality across HiFi HPD brands. However, increases in music quality ratings were correlated with decreases in average attenuation at 3, 4, and 6 kHz and increasing uniformity of attenuation...

It is widely believed that posture and balance stressors are factors in playing-related pain for musicians using hand-held musical instruments. This purpose of this scoping review was to assess the available literature relative to the effects of posture and balance in musicians with neuromusculoskeletal injuries. A search of Medline, Web of Science, and SportDiscus seeking articles combining posture and balance considerations with pain in performing artists was performed. From 1,403 articles initially identified by the search parameters, the further abstract/title review for relevance and inclusiveness of pain and posture/balance variables in performing artists resulted in the retention of 29 articles for this full-text scoping review...

OBJECTIVES: This case-series investigated energy expenditure, cardiovascular responses, and psychosocial outcomes during two wheelchair dancing routines with different tempos. METHODS: Three individuals with chronic, non-traumatic spinal cord injuries [males, mean age 42 (13) years, C3-T12, AIS D, schwannoma=1, poliomyelitis=1, ependymoma=1] performed slow (rumba, 80 bpm) and fast (salsa, 170 bpm) wheelchair dance routines. Physiological [heart rate, blood pressure, relative oxygen consumption (VO2), metabolic task equivalent] and psychosocial parameters [ratings of perceived exertion, enjoyment and Brunel Mood Score] were measured pre, during, and post-dancing...

BACKGROUND: Performing artists are often confronted with job insecurity and insufficient health coverage. As a result, artists may not have access to non-publicly funded health services that are essential to their well-being. A health centre in Canada that specializes in providing healthcare to artists offers eligible artists subsidized health services, with the aim to treat acute health issues that impact an artists' ability to engage in their artistic practice. PURPOSE: We evaluated the use of the subsidized health services and explored the subsidy recipients' and the selection committee's perspectives on the impact of these services on the health of performing artists...

OBJECTIVE: The circus professionalization process entails extensive training to mitigate the high-risk demands which increase stress in artists. In high-risk professions, everyday hassles (challenges) contribute greatly to overall stress. To capture the impact of daily challenges on student-artists, the aim of the current study was to describe the magnitude and pattern of daily challenges as well as their relationships with perceived coping, anxiety, fatigue, and psychological distress...

INTRODUCTION: As soon as COVID-19 spread around the world, prevention and control measures were taken, such as masking and physical distancing, which changed people's routines, including musical practice among professional and amateur musicians. OBJECTIVE: This descriptive questionnaire study was designed to: 1) investigate how the pandemic affected musical practice among musicians; 2) determine how musicians remained motivated in their new routine; 3) identify the presence of pre-COVID musculoskeletal symptoms; and 4) analyze whether musculoskeletal symptoms decreased, maintained, or increased during the COVID-19 pandemic...

The prevention and control of the spread of COVID-19 has become a major challenge and concern globally. Since the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, sufficient knowledge and practices of people toward COVID-19 is necessary. Thai classical dancers are one of the groups affected by the pandemic. Health literacy in dancers has been shown to be crucial for their health and performance. Hence, this study aimed to assess Thai classical dancers' knowledge and perception about COVID-19. A cross-sectional 25-item online survey was conducted between March and October 2021...

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the number of university drummers and percussionists in Brazil has been increasing. Extensive instrumental practice and repetitive rehearsals are related to the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms among many of these percussion instrumentalists (e.g., repique, tambourine, agogô, rattle, surdo, and snare drums). Musculoskeletal injuries increase the costs of medical exams and treatment in percussionists. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to analyze the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in Brazilian university drummers and percussionists...