• Physique

• Physical attributes
• Physical practice goals
• Overstrain
• Technique and ergonomics
• Musician's hearing - an irreplaceable partner
• Vocalist's health

Overstrain

You can detect physical overstrain by listening to your body. As well as evaluating your own symptoms, it’s worth getting your music instructor’s opinion and, if necessary, consulting a physician or physiotherapist specialised in musicians’ symptoms.

Typical symptoms among musicians are

• Muscle symptoms (stiffness, pain, weakness…)
• Neurological symptoms (numbness, stabbing pains…)
• Hormonal symptoms (menstrual dysfunction…)
• Metabolic symptoms (fatigue, weight gain…)
• System regulation disorders (sweating, chills…)
• Psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, sleeping disorders, depression…)

Typical mistakes when suffering from overstrain are

1. Interpreting your body’s messages as ‘normal’.
2. Masking your body’s messages with medication.

Erja Joukamo-Ampuja and Jouko Heiskanen