Prevalence and consequences of arm, neck, and/or shoulder complaints among music academy students: A comparative study

OBJECTIVE: CANS (complaints of arm, neck, and/or shoulder not caused by a systemic disease or acute trauma) are a recognized problem in specific occupational groups such as musicians. This study aimed to compare the prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of CANS between music academy students and a control group of peer-age medical students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study among music academy students and medical students. Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire on musculoskeletal conditions of the upper extremity in the two cohorts. RESULTS: Students of three music academies (n=345) and one medical university (n=2,870) received the questionnaire, of which 25% (n=87) and 18% (n=503) responded, respectively. The 12-month prevalence of CANS was nearly twice as high among music academy students as the control group (80.7% vs 41.5%, p