Assessing posture while playing in musicians - A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal health
• Ergonomics in performing arts

Background:

• Playing musical instruments can lead to musculoskeletal disorders due to unique postural demands.
• Instruments like the violin and flute necessitate upper limb elevation and asymmetrical postures.
• Investigating the link between musicians' posture and pain is crucial for understanding these risks.

Approach:

• A systematic literature search across multiple databases was conducted.
• Manual searches supplemented the database review.
• Two independent reviewers managed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment.

Key Points:

• Twenty-seven studies involving musicians of all experience levels were included.
• Common methods for posture analysis include visual assessment and 3D videography.
• The review synthesizes current methodologies for posture investigation in musicians.

Conclusions:

• This review consolidates various methods for monitoring musician posture.
• It offers insights for creating standardized protocols for future research.
• Establishing comparable protocols is essential for advancing the understanding of musicians' postural health.