Odyssey: the history of performing arts medicine

The first publication to summarize the occupational diseases of musicians was Ramazzini's Diseases of Tradesmen in 1713. While there was sporadic interest in performing arts medicine during the 1800s, the first book devoted to the subject, Singer's Diseases of the Musical Profession, was published in 1932. During the 1960s and 1970s, both physicians and performers became more interested in arts medicine. When pianists Gary Graffman and Leon Fleisher publicly discussed their career-ending hand problems in the early 1980s, a huge, previously unknown group of injured musicians was brought to light. Since that time, publication in the field has dramatically increased, numerous conferences have been held, and clinics catering to the needs to performers have been set up in various large cities. Although we still do not have all the answers to the problems faced by performing artists, arts medicine is now a recognized discipline, reaching out to performers, arts educators, arts administrators, and instrument manufacturers.