Zeitschrift für Yoga und Physiotherapie
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Musicians are Athletes Too

Nicholas F Quarrier

Performing artists are prone to repetitive stress injuries. Playing a musical instrument professionally or dancing requires a level of physical fitness similar to that of a sports athlete. Each requires agility, flexibility, neuromuscular coordination, muscular endurance and muscular strength. There is one major difference between musicians and sports athletes. Sports athletes have coaches observing and correcting the athlete’s movement patterns in order to improve efficiency as well as hoping to prevent a sports injury during each practice and athletic event, while the musician sees their “coach” once a week for an hour. He/she is expected to remember any technique changes etc (mechanical corrections etc….) while they practice alone. All these individuals follow the adage “practice makes perfect” or “practice makes permanent”.