introduction to musician’s ergonomics

Introduction to musician’sergonomics

Sibelius Academy

24.8.2021

Eeva Hyytiäinen, physiotherapist, music pedagogue, violinist

About me

• Education: Music pedagogue 2006 (JAMK), Ethnomusicologist 2013 (TaY), Physiotherapist 2018 (JAMK)

• Work: Ylöjärvi town healthcare center and Aktiivi Fysioterapia (physiotherapist), Ahjola community school (teacher, conductor)

• Positions: Finnish Music Medicine Association SMULY ry boardmember 2019->, SMULY Tampere leader 2018->, Tampere Musician’sclinic person in charge 2019->

• Hobbies: Irjala Country Trio, climbing, orienteering

Topics and structure

• What is ergonomics and ergonomic aids?

• What is capacity and how to build it up?

• What to do with playing-related pain?

• 50-60 min lecture (you can go for a walk and listen)

• 30-40 min group work and discussion (find a quiet place)

What is ergonomics?

ErgonomicsTyöterveyslaitos: Ergonomia (https://www.ttl.fi/tyontekija/tuki-liikuntaelinten-terveys/ergonomia/)

” Accomodating technology and action to people”

” Accomodating technology and action to people”• Safety• Health• Well-being

Another goal:

To make systems function efficiently

• Safety

• Health → Long and healthy career

• Well-being

Efficient functioning of systems → Quality

Capacity

Physical ergonomics

Cognitive ergonomics

Organizationalergonomics

Ergonomics supports musician’s capacity

Physical

Psychological

Social

Capacity

Physical ergonomics

Physical

Psychological

Social

Cognitiveergonomics

Examples:

• Readability of score

• Digital music score readers

• Informative Conductors / band leaders

Capacity

Physical ergonomics

Physical

Psychological

Social

Planning personnel, work processes, work entities ja schedules

Examples

• Rehearsals, concerts

• Program planning (orchestras)

• Working pace

• Working community

Capacity

Physical ergonomics

Physical

Psychological

Social

SPACEEQUIPMENT

WAY OF PLAYING

WORKSTATIONTIMEFRAMES

Physicalergonomics• Room size, temperature, lighting, acoustics

• Chair and music stand adjustments

• Playability of instrument

• Equipment (eg. Violinist’s chin and shoulderrests, wind instrumentalist’s straps and support, eye glasses, ear plugs)

• Timeframes, schedules – practice habits!

• Way of playing – optimal force

• Balanced position when playing

Way of Playing: postures

• Basic posture as basis (neutral jointpositions)

• Working with arms and hands requirecore support and scapular stabilazion

• Dynamic ”posture”: moving around theneutral• Freedom of movement, optimal

force, loading bigger muscle groups

• Playing posture is affected by• Putting one’s soul into the music• Repertoire, group, space• Mood, vitality, stress

Musiikki ja Fysioterapia Eeva Hyytiäinen hyytiainen.eeva@gmail.com

Standing posture

Feet & legs→ pelvis → spine→ shoulder girdle & head

https://etno.net/verkko-oppimateriaali/djemben_perustekniikka

Excessive lumbar lordosis

Swayback

Excessive thoracic kyphosis

sites.uniarts.fi/fi/web/harjoittelu

Head in front

Shoulders front positioned

Shoulder girdle, scapular support

(Siba.fi/harjoittelu, web.uniarts.fi)(www.bartleby.com/107)

Scapular support

SibA/Harjoittelu, web.uniarts.fi

Scapular support

Middle positions in hand

Neutral dynamic postures?

Good ergonomics in everything –remember variation!

Musculoskeletal problems in musicians

• In professional musicians lifetime prevalencesrange between 62–93% (Kok et al. 2016, 392.)

• 86 - 89% of musicians have every yearmusculoskeletal symptoms that affectperformance (Kok et al. 2016, Paarup et al 2011, Hogg-Johnson et al 2008)

• At beginning of studies: 79 % of music studentsreported playing-related pain (Brandfonbrener2009)

Overuseinjuries

• Repeated microtraumasexceed the ability of tissue to adapt to situation

(Vastamäki 2005; 33.)

Avoiding injuries: Load vs. capacity (YouTube)

Capacity Load

Balance of wellbeing

Capacity

Too much load vs. your capacity→ risk of injury

CapacityLoad

Ergonomics

You can lighten the load with ergonomic means

artist-musikerhalsan.se

CapacityLoad

Good overloading→ body gets stronger(During recovery!)

Musician’s capacity

• Optimal performance

• The physical, psychological and social capacity and flexibility

Musician´s capacity= Health

Musician´scapacity= health

Lower prevalence of musculoskeletal complaintsamong those who performed physical activity(Kochem et al 2018)

Recomendationfor health-enhancingphysical activityfor adults aged18-64

Aerobic excercise

• Eg. walking, jogging, dancin, aerobics, swimming, cycling, cross-training, cross-country skiing

• Relevant: faster breathing, increased blood circulation, dynamic movement

• Benefits eg. Faster recovering from static playing positions, oxygen and nutrients to tissues, enhancing oxygen intake of muscles

Musicians need:- Posture- Body support- Power endurance- Sensitive forceproduction- Skill and sensitivity(Jarmo Ahonen, PT)

Body support & posture

• Eg. Pilates, Spiralstabilization, Joga, dancing, gym training

• Relevant: core stabilazion, balance, movement control

• Benefits eg.: • Holding yourself up in playing

• Economic and efficientmoving while playing

Muscle strength and endurance training• Eg. Gym training, climbing, cross-country skiing• Relevant:

• Strength endurance (30-60% resistance, ab.15 repeats)• Maximum strength: Muscle hypertrophy 60-80%

resistance, 6-12 reps)• Muscles strengthen in recovery!

• Benefits: enhances muscle innervation and functionality of body, muscle endurance and strength builds up, playing gets lighter

80% of capacityLoad8 units

Capacity > Load

Potential capacity

Ergonomics

10 units

25 % of capacityLoad8 units

Capacity > > Load

Capacity

Ergonomics

32 units

Stretching & mobility training

• Sports eg. Joga, Pilates, Spiral stabilization, musclestrength training

• Relevant: • opening ROM:s and ensuring neutral positions

• Increasing blood flow and metabolism in tissues

• Benefits:• Neutral positions are easier to maintain, movements

stay economic

• Recovering speeds up

Body awareness, self knowledge

• Eg. Alexander-technique, Feldenkrais, Joga, relaxing techniques

• Relevance: • Knowing your own body

• Recognize relaxation, tension, differentcircumstances and conditions

• Listening to your body: what do I need

• Benefits:• Planning your practicing and actions is

more efficient and effective

Warm up without the instrument

• 5-10 min

• Aerobic movements: increase blood flow = oxygen and nutrients

• Light and short streches: opening ROM:s = ensuring neutral positions

• Activating and warming up muscles & tendons = reduces risk of straining injuries

• Waking up nervous system = playing is easier and more efficient

• Preparing body and mind for the training: concentrating

• Find your own ways to tune up, know yourself (body and mind)

Cooling down

• Removes lactate from the muscles

• Excelerates recovery 50 %

• Restoring the neutral positions in joints

• Aerobic movements, calm streches:• Pecs

• Finger muscles

• Latissimus dorsi / sides

• Hip flexors

• Hamstrings

Discuss in groups (10 min)

Tell the others about the entity of your wellbeing, what is good, what could be better.

Tell the others about ergonomical challenges of your instrument.

Body control

Muscle strength / endurance

Bodyawareness, selfknowledge

Aerobic excercise

Mobility

Capacity

Sleep and rest

Nutricion

Controllingother loads

We can’t always control things that reduce the capacity

Capacity

Ergonomics

Stress, poor recovery, illness, pain, sorrow, accidents…

Reduce the load!

Capacity

Ergonomics

Stress, poor recovery, illness, pain, sorrow, accidents…

If you have pain, numbness, pins and needles, tiredness, clumsiness…

• Rest / ease the load

• Ask for help: doctor, physiotherapist+ teacher

→ Improving ergonomics

→ Gradual loading

→ Building up (physical) capacity: physical activity, strength endurance

• Take care also of your mental well-being!

Summary

• Eat well, sleep well, be active, build upyour capacity

• Take care of recovering

• Take care of ergonomics when you can

• React in time to symptoms

• Seek help when your own solutionsaren’t enough

• The smaller the problem, easier thesolution!

Reading material…

• Siba Harjoittelu (Practicing, ergonomics)• https://sites.uniarts.fi/fi/web/harjoittelu/

• Artsmed Practicing tips for musicians• http://web.uniarts.fi/practicingtipsformusicians/index.html

• Musicians health (Utrechtin konservatorio)• http://musicianshealth.hku.nl

• smuly.fi (Finnish Music Medicine Association website)• List of doctors and physiotherapists specialized in musicians• Musician’s clinics• Information of musicians’ wellbeing (nutrition, psychological well-being, well-being at work)

In the future will succeed the one who knows how to rest –not the one who does the most, says a occupationalpsychologist

Thank You.

hyytiainen.eeva@gmail.com

introduction to musician’s ergonomics

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