Elite pianists' perceptions of injury risk: Preliminary results.

The aim of the study was to explore and describe how elite (tertiary and professional) pianists define Playing Related Musculoskeletal Injuries (PRMl),as well as their perceptions of risk factors associated with such injuries.A qualtative, interview-based framework was employed. Pianists who had experienced PRMI participated in semi-structured,recorded one-an-one interviews. Transcripts were analysed using the Grounded Theory approach. Preliminary results from 13 interviews have identified several distinct elements of pianists' operational definition of injury; an association between symptoms and their effect on piano playing, descriptions of more global effects of injury on health, and a distinction between mild and severe playing related musculoskeletal injury. In pianists, some perceived risk factors associated with PRMI are piano specific and differ from those cited in general music injury literature. Frequently cited risk factors include technique, posture,level of relaxation, seat height and stress.The results of this study will aid future epidemiological studies of elite pianists and guide clinical assessment and preventative treatment strategies.