Musicians’ Orthopaedics

Dr John White has launched an Australian Musicians’ Clinic, a specialist service for the treatment of problems experienced by amateur, semi-professional and professional musicians. The clinic, which specialises in hand and upper-limb injuries, will offer a dedicated focus to musicians of all levels, but in particular professional musicians, who rely on their ability to perform to make a living.

Music is an excellent form of stress management, but playing an instrument can be physically demanding for any musician especially when stressful positions are required due to the design or shape of the instrument. Violinists, for example, frequently experience neck and shoulder problems, while flautists may suffer nerve compression due to resting their instrument on a single finger. Over use syndromes, so called Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI), are a serious threat to all musicians, whether they play professionally or not.

Professional musicians often do not admit to having an injury as this can damage their chances of being hired. The pressure on professional musicians is immense and any successful career requires long hours of practice with peak performances each time. Musicians who travel often suffer from sleep deprivation and poor nutrition. These are all major contributing factors of high stress and contributing overuse. Studies of orchestras have found that between 40 to 76 per cent of their musicians have suffered from at least one medical problem that severely affected their ability to perform.

Commenting on the launch of the new Musicians’ Clinic Dr White says, “Anyone who plays a musical instrument can potentially suffer musculoskeletal problems, anything from fractures to overuse. For amateurs this can be an inconvenience. For the professional who relies on the ability to play to make a living, injury can be devastating or at worst career ending.”

The new clinic has been set up by South Australian Consultant Orthopaedic Hand and Upper-Limb Surgeon Dr John White, who before opting for a career in medicine was a professional musician.

Dr White and his team have extensive experience in treating musicians suffering from repetitive strain syndrome, rheumatoid disease, severe cases of dupuytren’s contracture, upper-limb arthroscopy, shoulder, elbow and finger joint replacements and scaphoid non-union.

“Having been a musician myself, I am all too aware of the mechanics and various types of playing that can aggravate existing or new problems, cause pain, numbness, weakness or even lack of control. I also understand how minor trauma and other ordinary orthopaedic problems, which would have minor effects on non-musicians, can have profound consequences for a musician’s ability to play. Understanding the importance a musician places in their hands allows me to understand what treatments are best for them. For many professional musicians their ability to play is both a career and a passion. Allowing them to recover quickly and keep a full range of motion is vitally important.” Dr White concluded

Speaking at the launch of the UK Musicians Clinic, which Dr White established in 2011, Jack Liebeck, the Classical Brit Award winning artist and a former patient of Dr White commented, “I received treatment from Dr White at BMI Healthcare back in 2011 and was playing on BBC Radio 4 the next day. For professional musicians not only in London but across the UK this clinic will be a vital resource in ensuring the treatment they get is both sensitive and considered in light of both their amazing gifts, their passion and also their livelihood. I wouldn’t put my trust in anyone else other than Dr White, his expertise is truly world class.”

For more information please contact Dr White HERE