Workplace Injury Prevention and Wellness Program for Orchestra Musicians: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Musculoskeletal Health
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Musicians frequently experience playing-related musculoskeletal pain, impacting their careers and quality of life.
• Workplace interventions are crucial for addressing the unique physical demands placed on performing artists.
• Existing research often lacks robust evaluation of targeted prevention programs for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of a 14-week workplace injury prevention and wellness program.
• To compare pain intensity reduction in musicians participating in the program versus a control group.
• To evaluate the long-term effects of the intervention on musicians' musculoskeletal pain.

Main Methods:

• A pragmatic parallel randomized controlled trial involving 65 orchestra musicians.
• Participants were randomized into an intervention group (program) or a control group (no intervention).
• Musculoskeletal pain intensity was measured using the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians over 11 months.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed a significant reduction in pain intensity compared to the control group at 14 weeks and 11 months (P = .03).
• Mean pain intensity decreased notably in the intervention group post-program.
• No adverse events were reported during the study period.

Conclusions:

• A workplace injury prevention and wellness program can effectively reduce playing-related musculoskeletal pain in orchestra musicians.
• The findings suggest a clinically meaningful benefit of such programs for musicians' health.
• This study supports the implementation of targeted wellness initiatives in performing arts environments.