Abstract

Musicians experience a number of health problems related to the practice and performance of music.

Types

The most common injury type suffered by musicians is repetitive strain injury (RSIs). A survey of orchestral performers found that 64–76% had significant RSIs. Other types of musculoskeletal disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and focal dystonia, are also common.

Non-musculoskeletal problems include contact dermatitis, hearing problems such as tinnitus, respiratory disorders or pneumothorax, increased intraocular pressure, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and psychological issues such as performance anxiety.

Musicians may suffer hearing disorders due to noise exposure. They also are at an increased risk of having problems with the stomatognathic system, in particular mouth and teeth, which may in some cases lead to permanent injuries that prevent the musicians from playing.

Woodwind instrumentalists, in rare cases, suffer a condition known as "hypersensitivity pneumonitis", also referred to as "saxophone lung", can be caused by Exophiala infection. It is held that this can occur if instruments are not cleaned properly.