Health Patterns of Clarinetists: An Epidemiologic Survey and its Impact on Educators, Performers, and Student-Musicians Slide: 4

Poster presenting results of a study that characterizes clarinet specific health problems such as site-specific pain, non-musculoskeletal issues, performance anxiety, and related variables including instrument type, use of neck-strap, educational attainment, musician identity, and other lifestyle and performance-related factors. An online survey specifically for clarinetists was developed using techniques adopted from a recent study of trombonists (interactive body maps, skip logic, etc.). In addition to clarinetists being underrepresented in previous epidemiologic research, previous studies did not consider the lower lip as being a potential pain site despite clarinet pedagogues mentioning this concern, proliferation of commercial products to help clarinetists manage lip pain, and the lip being a primary contact point between the instrument and the body. Consistent with findings from Thrasher and Chesky, clarinetists in this study also reported musculoskeletal problems in the right wrist area.

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