Abstract
Summary
Authors
Akiho Suzuki, André Lee
Institute for Music Physiology and Musicians’ Medicine (IMMM), Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Background
Performance-related pain (PRP) refers to pain that interferes with a musician’s ability to play or sing at their usual level. It is a major health problem among musicians and can have devastating effects on performance, wellbeing, and quality of life. Pain science education (PSE), which aims to equip individuals with knowledge about how pain works, is widely used in the management of chronic pain within the general population. However, PSE is relatively underexplored in the context of PRP among musicians.
Aim
The aim of this study is to develop PSE for musicians. Specifically, we aim to identify key concepts and optimal ways to deliver them. This study forms a part of a broader project to develop and evaluate a mobile app intervention for the prevention and management of musicians’ PRP.
Methods
We gathered information from three sources: 1) literature review of PSE in chronic pain management; 2) meetings with clinicians who treat musicians with PRP and integrate PSE into their practice; and 3) interviews with musicians who have learnt about pain science from clinicians.
Results
Preliminary findings will be presented as the study is still ongoing. Through the literature review, we have identified key concepts for PSE (e.g., “Pain is not an accurate marker of tissue damage”). Insights from clinicians will inform the tailoring of these concepts for musicians, while thematic analysis of the interviews with musicians will explore how PSE can be delivered in an acceptable, engaging, and easy-to-understand way.
Conclusion
Equipping musicians with an understanding of pain that is based on current scientific evidence is crucial for the management of PRP. However, for PSE to be effective, it needs to be acceptable and relevant for musicians. Our next step is to develop and pilot an app-based PSE for musicians, then refine it based on feedback from participants.