Role of occupational therapy in musicians' health: a scoping review protocol.

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this proposed review is twofold: first, to understand the role of occupational therapy presented in the musicians' health literature; and second, to explore the potential for this role. INTRODUCTION: The intense movement, awkward postures, concentration and emotional communication required of musicians can place them at increased risk of music-related health conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders and performance anxiety. The development of music-related health conditions can be emotionally and financially devastating. The role of occupational therapy in musicians' health has been previously discussed; however, no rigorous reviews of the scholarly literature have been published. We will, therefore, undertake a scoping review with the following research questions: (1) what is known about the role of occupational therapy in instrumental musicians' health? and (2) what is the potential role of occupational therapy in musicians' health? METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A preliminary search of Medline, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Web of Science was previously undertaken by the first author to determine the extent of the research on this topic and to confirm that no other reviews have been conducted or are in progress. Study selection and analysis will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines for conducting a scoping review. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Formal ethics approval is not required at our institution for a review of published literature. The results of this review will be shared through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and traditional and social media.

Case study: musicians' playing-related injuries.

Professional and student musicians are at high risk of acquiring a playing-related injury at some point in their careers. Yet, specialized healthcare for musicians is scarce and expensive for most self-employed musicians. Diagnosing these injuries is challenging, and simply taking a break from an activity that has caused physical problems does not address the ergonomic and biomechanic causes of the problem. Under these circumstances, it is not surprising that musicians are reluctant to seek care, and when they do, lack trust in the care that is provided to them. This article is a case presentation of the experiences of a graduate student musician studying performance at a North American university. A narrative style is used to reflect the quality and nature of experiences this musician encountered, followed by a discussion of how to advance a more participatory and holistic approach to enabling return to function.