An investigation of thermal patterns in guitarists performing a musician-specific exercise programme

Abstract

Several musicians suffer from musculoskeletal problems during their career. These injuries are referred to as performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). Through the use of exercise programmes, PRMDs can be prevented. Exercise programmes aid to strengthen musicians’ upper limb and supporting muscles, which correct and improve postural control during performance and thereby prevent PRMDs. In this study, a musician-specific exercise programme was carried out by guitarists, and thermal imaging was used to observe and monitor the effect of this exercise programme. Thermal data was collected from 14 guitarists who played their instrument for at least seven hours a week. Data was gathered from the trapezius, shoulder, upper arm, forearm, wrist, and digits for a period of 20 minutes whilst the guitarists were playing. The participants followed the exercise programme throughout a period of six weeks, after which the process of thermal data collection was performed again. While existing studies that evaluate musicians through thermal imaging mostly observe thermal asymmetries, in this work we also looked at absolute and relative temperature changes over time, both before and after the exercise programme. The results obtained show that one of the main and most consistent effects of the musician-specific exercise programme was the reduction of thermal asymmetries within the shoulder region. This is indicative that the musician-specific exercise might be beneficial to avoid or reduce the effect of PRMDs in guitarists.