Musicians' Health and Wellbeing: Sports and Exercise in Music Schools

Within the institution and universities of music the importance of health and well-being of the musician is still too often overlooked as an integral part of the curriculum. Similarly, we neglect the delicate question of the prevention of occupational diseases that may result from poor posture and be caused by the continuous repetition of the same movements on the musical instrument. This picture is even more critical when one considers the fact that musicians usually do not associate any sports or physical activities (stretching) with musical activity, in order to counterbalance the long-term effects of a sustained and exhausting practice, whose effects, in the most serious cases, could lead to the abandonment of their career.

The activity of the musician, like the athletes, should be followed by a professional competent and qualified to do so: doctors, physiotherapists and occupational medicine specialists who know the sport or the construction of musical instruments and their positions should accompany the musician for a more correct use of their body.

The close collaboration between the musicians and experts in the field of health, as well as the sharing of different skills should be based on a more focused study of the issues at stake, with the aim of improving the health of the musician and, consequently, the musical performance.

Aims

This research project in collaboration with SUPSI, School of Physiotherapy and the Centro Sportivo di Tenero has the aim to collect a first set of information about the state of fitness of a sample of students enrolled University School of Music at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana. This opportunity could provide a chance for students to check their fitness and get some guidance from a specialist.

The project's aim is twofold:

• systematically collect information on the health of students by establishing the occurrence of any inconvenience (of chronic painful states) according to the study habits (posture, daily rhythms).
• develop procedures for intervention to improve their health and wellbeing and prevent the onset of possible diseases.