Occupational Therapy for Musicians

Although often overlooked, professional musicians can suffer from overuse injuries because of the repetitive positions required to play their instruments. These include, but are not limited to, focal hand dystonia, repetitive strain injury, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. While many try to ignore the symptoms to prolong their careers, it only worsens the problem. Occupational therapists can provide treatment for musicians suffering from overuse injuries. Because occupational therapy is focused on using meaningful activities to rehabilitate patients, all treatments are centered on the goal of return to play and any other specific goals the musicians have for resuming their important activities of daily living. This presentation will discuss the specific injuries that affect different musicians (i.e., pianists and violinists/string players), as well as treatments and prevention strategies