When people say “art is pain,” they usually mean mental anguish. Yet artists often endure physical suffering as well. Across disciplines, the body can rebel no matter how dedicated the spirit.
Persistent aches are often a symptom. Ignoring them can lead to more trouble down the road. Staying healthy means identifying the cause and making the necessary modifications. The types of injuries in art are as varied as the artists.
Musicians
One study showed over 70% of performing artists experienced at least one injury related to their art. Musicians often deal with repetitive use injuries. Those who play stringed instruments, including the guitar and cello, often experience numbness or tingling in the shoulders or neck. They also deal with tendonitis or various muscle strains along with carpal tunnel syndrome which can affect the wrists and hands.
Treatment often includes changing a musician’s playing style. This can mean reducing the force used when playing an instrument or altering the posture. Taking longer, slower warm-ups is also helpful as is stretching. While there are treatments for these injuries, hearing loss caused by regular exposure to unsafe decibel levels is permanent. Half of all musicians have some level of noise-induced hearing loss. Preventative measures like wearing earplugs are recommended.
Dance
Dance is by far the most physical of the performing arts. Because of this, the injuries suffered by dancers mirror those endured by other athletes. They often injure their legs or back due to overuse.
The flexibility these performers train for comes at a price. It makes them more susceptible to musculoskeletal and orthopedic conditions that often affect the hips, knees, feet, or ankles. Unfortunately, dancers have something else in common with other athletes –– the general unwillingness to take time off and rest. Dancers often continue training, worsening an injury.
Because taking time off can mean missed career opportunities including being replaced in performances or competitions, they often don’t report the injury. However, the alternative is worse. Injuries that aren’t allowed to heal can lead to a career-ending injury or even permanent disability. Dystonia, for example, is the uncontrollable firing of muscle groups. It’s very difficult to treat and usually means sedatives and botox injections. Less often disabling, but requiring extended rest periods, include low back sprains caused by lifting a partner or performing unfamiliar, demanding choreography.
Snapping hip syndrome is another common dancer injury –– one that often doesn’t cause discomfort initially but can become painful if isn’t dealt with. Actors, of course, deal with many of the performance injuries experienced by dancers, along with strained vocal cords. Rest and occasionally retraining is recommended for them as well.
Artists and Writers
Holding a brush or a pen, sculpting or typing –– they all require similarly repetitive hand and wrist motions. So it’s unsurprising how common repetitive use injuries are to these disciplines. When your tendons get overused you may feel tingling or pain in the forearm or wrist.
Untreated, tendinitis can progress to carpal tunnel syndrome. This can make it difficult to hold your instruments. Rest, ice packs, and a properly fitted wrist brace can ease tendinitis. Proper rest periods are the key to reducing injury, whether you are a dancer, writer, musician, or other performer. Try resting your limbs for a few minutes every hour. Stretching more can also help.
Ludwig van Beethoven continued composing as he lost his hearing. Pierre-Auguste Renoir continued painting despite debilitating rheumatoid arthritis. James Joyce kept writing as his eyesight slowly failed. Art continues despite pain and injury. Still, if the trauma was caused by someone else’s negligence, then you may need a Spokane injury attorney. Either way, taking time to take care of your body is the best way to insure a long creative life.
