Temporomandibular disorders, pain in the neck and shoulder area, and headache among musicians

• Published in: Journal of oral rehabilitation Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 132 - 142
• Main Authors: Selms, Maurits K. A., Wiegers, Jetske W., Meer, Hedwig A., Ahlberg, Jari, Lobbezoo, Frank, Visscher, Corine M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-02-2020; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Complaints; Female; Headache; Headaches; Humans; Jaw; Male; Music; Musical instruments; musician; Musicians & conductors; Neck; Neck Pain; neck‐shoulder pain; Occupational Diseases; Original; Pain; Questionnaires; Shoulder; temporomandibular disorders; Temporomandibular joint; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders; TMD pain; TMJ sounds; Woodwind music; TMD pain; neck-shoulder pain; headache; musician; TMJ sounds; temporomandibular disorders
• ISSN: 0305-182X; 1365-2842
• DOI: 10.1111/joor.12886

Background
Uncertainties still exist about the role of playing musical instruments on the report of musculoskeletal complaints and headache.
Objectives
To evaluate the prevalence of and risk indicators for symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, pain in the neck or shoulder, and headache among musicians.
Methods
A questionnaire was distributed among 50 Dutch music ensembles.
Results
The questionnaire was completed by 1470 musicians (response rate 77.0%). Of these, 371 musicians were categorised as woodwind players, 300 as brass players, 276 as upper strings players, 306 as vocalists and 208 as controls; nine musicians had not noted their main instrument. The mean age was 41.6 years (standard deviation [SD] 17.2), and 46.5% were male. Irrespective of instrumentalist group, 18.3% of the musicians reported TMD pain, 52.5% reported pain in the neck and shoulder area, and 42.5% reported headache. Of the functional complaints, 18.3% of the musicians reported TMJ sounds, whereas a jaw lock or catch on opening or on closing was reported by 7.1% and 2.4%, respectively. TMD pain was associated with playing a woodwind instrument, whereas pain in the neck and shoulder was associated with playing the violin or viola. For each complaint, oral behaviours were found as risk indicator, supplemented by specific risk indicators for the various complaints.
Conclusions
The current finding that pain‐related symptoms varied widely between instrumentalist groups seems to reflect the impact of different instrument playing techniques. Playing a musical instrument appears not the primary aetiologic factor in precipitating a functional temporomandibular joint problem.