The Price to Pay?

It’s a well-known fact that athletes have a high chance of injury. It’s not hard to imagine why; many sports involve physical contact between players or put other intense strains on the body. It is harder to imagine musicians getting injured. Yet it does happen, and at a frequent rate. About 76 percent of instrumentalists in orchestra have experienced or will experience some sort of injury that impacts their ability to play, either temporarily or permanently.

Many musicians spend a large amount of time practicing and performing which can take a toll on their physical health, especially if they are not using proper technique. Some of the most common conditions include carpal tunnel, tendinitis, bursitis, tenosynovitis and trigger finger. One of the main reasons these injuries occur is because the proper playing technique is not being employed which causes too much stress on the musician’s joints.

Even when injury occurs, many musicians keep working through the pain, usually because they feel that there is no other option. Athletics are different since there are back-up players for when injuries occur. This is not the case in most music ensembles.

Cheyenne Keith, a marching band member, sprained her ankle during one outdoor rehearsal.

“At the time I didn’t think anything of it and continued marching until I notice my ankle was swollen,” Keith said.

Victoria Cidor, another marching band member, had a similar experience. She fell into a pothole during a practice session for a parade. She skinned her hands and knees and noticed that she was bleeding.

“I stopped playing and met the band director back at the band room to get bandaged up, but then I went back out and finished the second half of practice, and only after practice was done for the day, did I go l to the doctors to make sure everything was okay,” Cidor stated.

Is injury just a natural part of music culture that we need to accept? Not necessarily. There are many ways that musicians can avoid injury, mainly through using proper playing technique. However, musicians should also warm up before playing and take lots of breaks. It is also important to remember that stretching is just as important for musicians as it is for athletes.

Finally, instrumentalists should remember to get proper medical attention as soon as possible instead of trying to play through the pain even if there are no back-ups to replace them. Music is a great way to relax and have fun, but it is more important to take care of yourself.