Occupational Injuries in Musicians: A Literature Review

Introduction The U.S. Department of Defense employs more musicians than any other organization in the USA with over 6,000 musicians employed. Musculoskeletal pathologies, behavioral health disorders, hearing loss, and dystonias account for the majority of reasons a musician seek medical care. The aim of this study is to review recent medical literature documenting occupational hazards in musicians. Materials and Methods Authors performed a literature review of publications related to musician performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) and performance-related pain (PRP), behavioral health disorders, dystonias, and hearing loss, published from 2004 to 2019 PubMed. Results The search returned 174 possible articles which, after review and exclusion, yielded 88 articles. Conclusions Medical literature suggests several risk factors for multiple disease categories. Practice time and history of PRMD/PRP were both associated with development of PRMD/PRP and focal dystonia. A history of behavioral health disorder was associated with development of focal dystonia. Clinicians should counsel their musician patients on strategies to minimize risks, and additional research is needed to identify specific causes of illnesses in musician populations.

Automated summary

The U.S. Department of Defense is the largest employer of musicians in the United States, with over 6,000 musicians employed. Musicians are at risk for musculoskeletal disorders, behavioral health disorders, hearing loss, and dystonias. This study reviewed recent medical literature and found that practice time and medical history were associated with the development of various diseases in musicians. It is recommended that clinicians counsel their musician patients on minimizing risks.