🎵 When Music Hurts: How Musicians Can Protect Their Bodies from Overuse and Pain @ Health Wise Chiropractic
- Julian Simpson
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
🎵 When Music Hurts: How Musicians Can Protect Their Bodies from Overuse and Pain
Behind every beautiful performance lies hours of practice, precision, and dedication. But for many musicians, the repetitive strain of playing their instrument can take a serious toll on their body — especially on their joints, muscles, and spine.
At Healthwise Chiropractic, we often see musicians who love their craft but struggle with pain, stiffness, and fatigue that start to interfere with both their performance and daily life.
My dad was an example, a singer in a choir; he developed terrible pain in his hand from chronic overuse of holding music binders
Recent research on rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders in musicians sheds light on why these issues occur and how chiropractic care can play a vital role in recovery and prevention.
🎶 The Hidden Cost of Musical Passion
Famous artists such as Lady Gaga (fibromyalgia), Céline Dion (stiff-person syndrome), and Selena Gomez (lupus) have spoken openly about their battles with musculoskeletal and rheumatic conditions. But it’s not just stars who are affected — professional and amateur musicians alike experience strain from long hours of practice and repetitive motion.
Studies show that up to 76% of professional musicians report musculoskeletal problems severe enough to affect their performance. The most common issues include:
Neck and shoulder pain from holding instruments like violins or flutes
Carpal tunnel syndrome in pianists and guitarists
Tendonitis and thumb arthritis from gripping or repetitive finger motion
Jaw pain (TMJ disorders) in brass and wind instrument players
Lower back tension and postural strain from long rehearsals and sitting positions
Over time, these problems can develop into chronic pain, nerve irritation, or even force a musician to stop playing altogether.
🎻 Why These Injuries Happen
Musicians often perform repetitive motions thousands of times a day. Combine that with awkward postures and the emotional stress of performing, and you have a perfect storm for overuse injuries.
Unlike sports equipment, musical instruments aren’t designed to fit individual body shapes — meaning your body adapts to the instrument, not the other way around. Holding an unnatural position for hours at a time leads to muscle imbalance, joint strain, and inflammation.
And because many musicians are so dedicated to their art, they often push through pain — delaying treatment until the issue becomes more serious.
💆♀️ How Chiropractic Care Can Help Musicians
Chiropractic care focuses on restoring proper alignment, mobility, and nervous system function — all of which are essential for musicians who rely on precise coordination and control.
At Healthwise Chiropractic, we use a combination of:
✅ Gentle spinal and joint adjustments – to relieve tension, improve range of motion, and correct postural imbalances.✅ Soft tissue therapy and dry needling – to reduce muscle tightness and improve flexibility.✅ Shockwave therapy and rehabilitation exercises – to promote healing in chronic overuse areas like the wrists, elbows, and shoulders.✅ Ergonomic and posture advice – tailored to your instrument and playing technique, helping you play smarter, not harder.
These evidence-based treatments can reduce pain, prevent future injuries, and help you return to playing with confidence and comfort.
🎤 Keeping the Music Alive
Prevention is key for musicians. Simple steps like frequent breaks, warm-up stretches, mindful posture, and regular chiropractic check-ups can make all the difference.
Your body is your first instrument — and just like a guitar needs tuning, your spine and joints do too.
If you’re a musician experiencing pain, numbness, or stiffness, don’t wait until it affects your performance. Our team at Healthwise Chiropractic can help you recover, stay pain-free, and keep the music playing.
🎵 Book an appointment online today to take the first step toward a healthier, more balanced performance.
Posture Correction Chiropractor
Q: Can chiropractic correct bad posture?Yes, chiropractic care can help realign the spine and retrain muscles for better posture.
Q: What causes poor posture?Common causes include desk jobs, phone use, weak muscles, and spinal misalignments.
Q: How long does posture correction take?It varies — some patients notice changes within weeks, others need longer-term care.
Q: Can posture correction reduce pain?Yes, correcting posture often reduces back pain, neck pain, and headaches.
For more information about how we can help YOU with your pain and improve your underlying dysfunction so the problem doesn’t come back .
Please call Health Wise Chiropractic 03 9467 7889 or book online to see one of our Chiropractors in Sunbury or Melton/Strathtulloh Today!
We are also really proud to offer our patients an APP for their Mobile- iPad. With access to your rehab exercises and our health tip blogs with over 600 articles.
Chiropractic has moved online. We offer our online program -STAND CORRECTED- To help you through the day.
We have over 30 programs on different health conditions
Each program contains
- Information about the conditions
- things to do and things to avoid
- nutrition advice
- all the stretches that are needed to help
Autret L, Shipley É, Lodde B, Hinojosa-Azaola A, Saraux A. Rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders in musicians: risks, adaptations and management. RMD Open. 2025 Oct 13;11(4):e006149. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2025-006149. PMID: 41083266.
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