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Upper-Body Posture in Adolescent Pianists: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Eleni Pappa, Yannis Koutedakis1, Vassilis Sideris
1Dep. of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Thessaly, Karies, 42100 Trikala Greece. Tel +302431047056. y.koutedakis@uth.gr.
Beginner piano students exhibit greater trunk sway and upper limb movement compared to advanced players. This suggests posture and movement patterns differ significantly with piano experience.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Music Performance
- Motor Control
Background:
- Upper-body posture is crucial for piano performance.
- The influence of experience on posture in adolescent pianists is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate upper body posture parameters in adolescent piano students.
- To compare posture between beginner and advanced piano players.
Main Methods:
- Thirteen adolescent piano students (7 beginners, 6 advanced) participated.
- Motion capture (Vicon system) analyzed trunk sway, finger/hand sway, hand movement, and spinal angles during scale performances.
- Performances included G-major and E-major scales at slow and fast tempi.
Main Results:
- Beginners showed significantly more trunk sway, finger/hand sway, and overall hand movement than advanced players.
- Beginners also exhibited more flexed spinal angles at the start of performances.
- Differences were most pronounced in fast G-major scale performances.
Conclusions:
- Less experienced piano players display greater trunk mobility and upper limb activity.
- Further research is needed to explore if posture interventions can enhance piano performance.
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