May the Music Never End: Medicine for Musicians

It is no secret that musicians will inevitably experience some type of physical injury over the course of their careers. However, when these occur, it can be difficult to know who to turn to for proper advice. Performing Arts Medicine is small field in medicine dedicated to supporting the health and wellbeing of performing artists. Because it is rather small, many performers are either not aware it exists or have minimal exposure to it. In this lecture/workshop, I will briefly introduce the audience to performing arts medicine, how to find healthcare professionals within the field, and the ways we can help. Then, I will give an overview of the most common types of injuries that musicians experience, how to recognize them, and when to seek a healthcare professional. My philosophy is centered around preventative care, and so for final part, I will discuss straightforward strategies that musicians can implement into their own daily routines and share with their studios in order to reduce the risk of injury. There will also be an interactive portion, where I teach the audience a simple and quick exercise band warmup routine for string players.

Presenter:
Dr. François DeAsis, DO