Affiliations: Research Group for Musicians Medicine, Tristanstr, OT
Groß Glienicke, Potsdam, Germany | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Musikphysiologie und
Musikermedizin e.V., Germany | Ruhr-University Bochum, Orthopaedic Surgery and
Research, Duesseldorf, Germany | Center for Neurosensory Disorders, University of
Chapel Hill, NC, USA | Research Group for Acupuncture, Duesseldorf,
Germany | Hochschule fuer Gesundheit und Sport, Berlin,
Germany
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Prof. Dr. med. Friedrich
Molsberger, Tristanstr. 42, 14476 Potsdam, OT Groß Glienicke, Germany.
Tel.: +49 33201 430368; Fax: +49 33201 430369; E-mail:
f.molsberger@musikermedizin.info
Abstract: Objective: Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) are
common among musicians. Acupuncture is well established in Germany as a
treatment for orthopedic conditions, but it is not commonly used in the
treatment of PRMD yet. The authors examined the musicians' health literature
and provide a brief overview about the background of acupuncture. Three case
studies are presented to show possible benefits for the treatment of PRMD. Participants: 2456 medical doctors, members of the German research group for
acupuncture. Methods: We searched literature and Medline Database for
publications about acupuncture, musicians' medicine and musculoskeletal
disorders. Additionally we asked medical doctors, via a questionnaire, about
the treatment of professional musicians as patients. Case studies are
presented. Results: No research was found to support the use oft
acupuncture in PRMD. The survey study found that medical doctors are not
satisfied with the quality of medical health care provided to musicians and
regard specialist knowledge as being important. Conclusion: Evidence on the benefits of acupuncture for musculoskeletal disorders suggests that it
could be of benefit as a complementary treatment of PRMD. We suggest performing
clinical trials to demonstrate the value of standard treatment, acupuncture and
complementary medicine for PRMD.
