No abstract

Due to the occurrence among musicians of musculoskeletal problems associated with playing a musical instrument, it is necessary to use prophylaxis. The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of two physioprophylaxis methods: chair massage and an original set of exercises. The study lasted four weeks and consisted of eight 15-min meetings (chair massage/exercises). The study was conducted on 44 music students assigned to three groups (chair massage/exercise program/control group). The algometric measurements and questionnaire were conducted. Health problems associated with playing an instrument was reported by 86.4% of the participants. The largest changes in pain threshold concerned the trigger points of the muscles with the highest pain sensitivity, i.e., upper part of trapezius ones, and reached 25–34% in relation to the initial values. For the trigger points of the levator scapulae and lower part of trapezius, the increase in the pain threshold was between 20 and 28%. Raising the pain threshold was observed both after each session and meeting by meeting, and these differences were most visible in the massage group. This effect was particularly visible from the fourth treatment. Chair massage and exercise should be used regularly, and significant results can be obtained after two weeks.

Position maintained while playing the violin changed some parameters characterizing the curvature of the spine in frontal plane. We found the importance of detailed analysis of children body posture and its critical assessment.

Changes in body posture in children who play the violin appear early in their training. Body postures when playing the violin lead to some changes in parameters characterizing AP spinal curvatures in the sagittal plane.

Background Monitoring of pain threshold is the basis for verification of the effectiveness of therapy or assessment of the patient’s condition. This study aimed to determine the pain threshold of selected superficial muscles of the back taking into account trigger point activity in young and healthy males and females, with the evaluation of intrarater reliability of algometric measurements. Material and methods The study examined 30 young adult participants (15 males and 15 females) aged 26.23 ± 3.21, and BMI of 23.80 ± 3.43. The Pain Test FPX Algometer (Wagner) was used for the study. Trigger points on the levator scapulae and trapezius muscles (superior and inferior portion) on both sides were examined. It was also verified whether the trigger points studied are active or inactive. Furthermore, an author’s survey questionnaire was used. Results Within the trigger points of the right (p = 0.04) and left (p = 0.02) superior trapezius muscle and the left (p = 0.04) levator scapulae muscle, the pain threshold values were higher in the male group. There was a statistically significantly higher number of active trigger points in the female group compared to that in the male group (2.49 ± 1.51 vs. 1.07 ± 1.16, respectively), p = 0.01. For all muscles tested, mean pain threshold values were significantly higher for inactive trigger points. A greater number of active trigger points is associated with lower pain thresholds at these points (left: the superior trapezius, r = −0.597, the inferior trapezius, r = −0.609; the levator scapulae, r = −0.746; right: the superior trapezius, r = −0.610, the inferior trapezius, r = −0.604; the levator scapulae, r = −0.747). The evaluation of the intrarater reliability showed excellent agreement between the first and second measurements, ICC > 0.987 for all examined trigger points. Conclusions (1) Women who reported pain more than once a week in the studied muscles showed a greater number of active trigger points. (2) A greater number of active trigger points in female is related to a lower pain threshold (which is associated with greater pain sensitivity) in female than in male. (3) A sample size of 30 people seems sufficient to detect variations in the pain threshold at active and inactive trigger points of selected back muscles, especially when the frequency of occurrence of both types of points is comparable.