Burden of Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders in Musicians: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Musicians are exposed to repetitive movements, prolonged practice, sustained postures, and physical demands that may contribute to musculoskeletal symptoms and upper-extremity disability. These problems may interfere with daily activities and musical performance. Objective: To determine the burden of upper-extremity musculoskeletal problems and musculoskeletal pain-related risk among musicians and to examine differences across age groups. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 musicians recruited from music schools and academies in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Participants had 1-5 years of musical experience and were recruited using universal sampling. Upper-extremity disability was assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, while musculoskeletal pain-related risk was assessed using the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire (OMPQ). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize study outcomes, and one-way analysis of variance was used to compare continuous outcomes across four predefined age groups. Results: The mean DASH score was 25.93±15.16, and the mean OMPQ score was 86.30±33.05. Participants also reported pain-related, psychosocial, behavioral, and functional concerns, including perceived worsening of pain with physical activity and difficulty with selected daily activities. No significant age-group differences were found for total DASH, total OMPQ, three-month pain rating, depressive symptoms, sleep difficulty due to pain, activity-related pain, job satisfaction, or work days missed. Significant overall differences were observed for upper-back pain (F(3,76)=4.398, p=0.007) and pain duration (F(3,76)=2.943, p=0.038). Conclusion: Musicians demonstrated measurable upper-extremity disability and musculoskeletal pain-related risk, accompanied by functional and psychosocial concerns. While overall disability and pain-related risk were similar across age groups, upper-back pain and pain duration differed significantly between groups.