title: Maladies in musicians.
abstract: Certain medical ailments occur with increased frequency among musicians and can affect musicians of all ages and ability. These maladies range in severity from incidental, asymptomatic findings among casual a nd occasional players to serious injuries that significantly disable professional musicians from practicing or performing. The most prevalent problems involve overuse of muscles resulting from repetitive movements of playing, often in combination with prolonged weight bearing in an awkward position. Other common problems include dermatologic irritation, peripheral neuropathies, focal dystonias, and otolaryngologic disorders. This review organizes the musical maladies according to section of the orchestra with further subclassification by pathologic process. By becoming familiar with the disorders associated with specific instruments, physicians will be better able to make the correct diagnosis in musicians with medical complaints.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville 22908-0386, USA.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gregory F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Hayden
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009146:Music; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011187:Posture; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology