Abstract

Background. Students of music schools start playing musical instruments already at the age of 7. This period of ontogenesis is characterized by increased susceptibility to faulty body postures (life style change, school duties). Playing a musical instrument has some disadvantageous effects on the formation of body posture. Corrective exercises should therefore be administered as prophylaxis to young musicians in order to prevent faulty postures. The aim of this study was to find out whether playing musical instruments and the associated symmetric and asymmetric loads of the musculoskeletal system promote body deformities.Material and methods. The study involved 61 students aged 12-18 years, including 42 students of a 1st and 2nd degree Music School in Bielsko-Białą and 19 students of Primary School No. 34 and Junior Secondary School No. 4 in Świętochłowice. The Kasperczyk postural evaluation scoring system, measurements of cervical spine mobility and questionnaires were used. Results. The study demonstrated that both asymmetric and symmetric loading of the musculoskeletal system in young musicians increased the frequency of faulty postures in the sagittal and frontal planes. Playing musical instruments may also cause nape and back pain in pianists and nape and arm pains in violinists. Conclusions. With an increased frequency of faulty postures in young musicians, they should be instructed to engage in adequate physical activity to counteract the development of deformities and pain of the spine and upper limb joints.

Key words:

faulty body postures, diagnosis of faulty postures, corrective exercises