Return to play after injury: strategies to support a musician's recovery

Issue title: Performing Artists

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Norris, Richard N.^;

Affiliations: National Arts Medicine Center, National Rehabilitation Hospital Outpatient Center, 3 Bethesda Metro Center #950, Bethesda, MD, USA

Note: [] Tel.: +1 301 6549160; fax: +1 301 6543020.

Abstract: The treatment of musicians' injuries has two distinct, overlapping, phases. Reducing pain or symptoms represents only the first stage. Too often, this is the end of the medical care. If the player has had to stop playing or significantly reduce playing time during the healing phase, a graduated, methodical plan for returning to full musical activity is essential to avoid emotionally and physically distressing relapses. In the field of occupational medicine this concept is called ‘work hardening’. The worker performs his or her specific tasks, but starts out at a greatly reduced level in terms of time and intensity. A graduated program for return to play is discussed in terms of duration, tempo and technical difficulty with specific recommendations for various instruments. Minor set backs are to be expected and the patient should be advised from the start that this is a normal part of the process so as to avoid discouragement. Following the principles set forth in this article will optimize the musicians' chances for smooth, successful return to normal musical activity.

Keywords: Musician's injuries, Training schedule, Return to play

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-1996-7203

Journal: Work, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 89-93, 1996