The physical health of musicians
Health care is neglected too much, although it is particularly important for health problems associated with the practice of music.
How can music, which does so much good for the mind and body, cause suffering and physical discomfort, which in the worst case can lead to the practice of music having to be restricted or even abandoned? Every profession is associated with risks, and the role of the various state authorities and institutions, and of course employers, is to prevent accidents, suffering, illnesses or disabilities resulting from the practice of the profession as far as possible. As for the musicians themselves, they need to pay particular attention to their lifestyle, especially with regard to their diet and physical condition (for example, the resilience of the heart or lung activity), but also their posture. Like office workers who spend too long sitting in front of their computers, most instrumentalists often spend a lot of time sitting down. Combined with the habit of adopting poor posture for too long or permanently, this can lead to painful muscle inflammation. Although it is possible to combat this with medication, there are risks involved (side effects, including in combination with other treatments, addictive effects, poor concentration and drowsiness). More effective, however, is physiotherapy treatment that combines posture prevention, warm-up and stretching exercises, physical rehabilitation, muscle strengthening and relaxation, as it directly addresses the causes and does not just alleviate the symptoms. In Switzerland, in addition to physiotherapy, treatments such as chiropractic and occupational therapy are also covered by basic insurance. However, for the partial reimbursement of other treatment methods such as osteopathy or the Feldenkrais method, to name just two, you have to take out supplementary insurance. Ideally, prevention would be preferable, but as a rule, preventive massages are not included in basic insurance benefits, although this would avoid much higher costs in the event of tendinitis, focal dystonia or other muscular problems. Numerous companies offer massages for their employees, every top sports team employs one or more physiotherapists, so wouldn't it be time for large instrumental ensembles to offer this service too?
Taboo subjects
Musicians, especially freelancers, often tend to play down or hide health problems related to their profession, even though early detection would allow them to be treated before they get worse. For economic reasons, it is often difficult to limit the number of engagements, even when muscle fatigue is imminent. In addition, instrumentalists - believing that their problem is a personal failure or a problem related to their technique - may also feel unjustly guilty and try to somehow find a solution themselves instead of consulting specialists. Today, there are therapists who specialize in the treatment of physical or psychological disorders related to the practice of music, and research in this field is also making great progress.
Global health
One of the causes of health problems associated with music practice lies in the ergonomics of the instruments themselves, which do not always correspond to people's natural physical predispositions. This factor can be exacerbated by the length of time spent playing each day, especially during rehearsals and concerts. Possible stress, prolonged sitting, limited opportunities for relaxation and the specific characteristics of the concert venue (e.g. a narrow or sloping stage, heat, humidity) all come together here. Not to mention the demands on stamina and concentration, as well as the complexity and technical challenges of some works. Apart from serious musculoskeletal disorders, any functional change or minor health problem can interfere with instrumental playing. Maintaining a good metabolic balance, avoiding fatigue and anxiety and being able to control one's emotions are essential qualities for maintaining a high quality of performance. There are few professions with such high demands and with the constant pressure of constant evaluation of individual or collective artistic performance by the public, financiers or music critics. Everything must therefore be done to ensure that nothing can interfere with these skills at a very high level.
The SMV's commitment to health
To ensure this, the SMV is a member of Swissmedmusica (SMM) and the Swiss Performers' Foundation (SIS) Health Section and actively addresses the health issues that arise in the music sector. The SMV offers its members advice, financial and legal support in the event of music-medical problems and organizes appropriate further training events - sometimes in collaboration with the Swiss Society for Music Medicine (SMM) and the Swiss Performers' Foundation (SIS).
