Music Medicine What is Music Medicine? It might be hard to imagine how a slight tilt of your head as you reach for a low string on your cello, or an almost imperceptible tightening of your jaw could account for wrist tendonitis, but a therapist trained in Music Medicine would assure you that it could. Since the 1970's, awareness has increased in the medical community about the specific challenges stringed instrument players face. Music Medicine was developed to meet the specific physical needs of musicians. Musicians are, in fact, musical "athletes", vulnerable to many of the same upper extremity, neck, and back injuries as other athletes. Violinists, violists, cellists, and stringed bass players, in particular, are prone to "overuse" injuries both because of the repetitive nature of string playing and because most performers lack knowledge regarding healthy ways to practice and perform. Successful treatment of musicians requires a therapist with a solid background in ergonomics, a keen eye for subtle changes in posture and body mechanics, and an understanding of the demands required of musicians as they practice and perform. Music medicine is truly a marriage of art and science. How Does It Work? If you are an injured string player, recovery requires treatment from several different angles including: A comprehensive biomechanical and postural assessment of the player's technique. An interview regarding practice and performance habits. An assessment of studio/practice space ergonomics (chairs, stand, lighting). Structural assessment and manual (hands on) therapy and use of modalities to facilitate healing of the injured tissues. Consultation with your instructor is available and recommended. Once the problems are determined, your therapist will work with you to increase awareness of your technique, practice and performance habit and offer strategies designed to decrease repetitive stress on tissues. Modification of habits that contribute to chronic fatigue and strain is essential to recovery and return to high quality performance. Ideally, musicians will seek evaluation before an injury occurs. The same principles and strategies used to treat an injured musician can be used to prevent injury and enhance performance. Beyond what is already listed, our injury prevention program includes: Warm-up and cool down exercises Guidance regarding full body conditioning Skills for conscious relaxation Indentifying/maximizing opportunities for resting muscle groups How Can It Help? Having a complete assessment of your structural strengths and vulnerabilities and your unique playing style will, at the very least, increase your self awareness and empower you to decrease stress on your body, play with a more beautiful sound, and end your practice session feeling more energized than you did at the start.
		Alta Physical & Complementary Therapies 2955 Baseline Road Boulder, CO 80303 Phone: 303.444.8707 Fax: 303.444.8109 © This material is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without permission