Hand Difficulties Among Musicians

• Published in: JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association Vol. 250; no. 23; p. 3163
• Main Author: Goodgold, Joseph
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Medical Association 16-12-1983
• Subjects: Hand; Humans; Music; Neuromuscular Diseases - diagnosis; Occupational Diseases - diagnosis
• DOI: 10.1001/jama.1983.03340230021015
• EISSN: 1538-3598
• ISSN: 0098-7484

To the Editor.—I read the article by Dr Hochberg and colleagues1 entitled "Hand Difficulties Among Musicians" with great interest but must comment that what has been a mystery about these problems remains a mystery. I particularly allude to Table 7, the category of nerve disorders, that classified motor control problems as 27% of the cases. It was not possible to perceive how the patients in this group were diagnostically identified with specificity. It is indeed possible that their problems are manifestations of motor system dysfunction, but on the basis of evidence in the article, it is equally possible that the "elegant" comments of some of our illustrious neurological forebearers may not be entirely preposterous in applying the appellation neuroses.It would also be of considerable help to identify the "sophisticated physical therapy" and biofeedback techniques used to attain amelioration. With the latter, at least, there is still more