What percentage of musicians have neck pain?

The percentage of musicians experiencing neck pain varies across different studies and samples. According to one study, 64% of professional musicians reported neck pain[1]. Another study indicated that 59.1% of music students experienced neck pain[2]. Additionally, a different source reported that 52.5% of musicians experienced pain in the neck and shoulder area[6]. These variations highlight that neck pain is a common issue among musicians, affecting a significant percentage of both professional musicians and music students. Either way, all the studies reviewed have shown that at least half of the musicians studied, have neck pain.

Chiropractic care mobilizes the neck, relaxes the muscles, realigns joints, improves range of motion, takes pressure off of nerves that control the neck, arms and hands. Adjustments by a chiropractor have been shown to improve reflexes, improve focus, and keep joints of the neck healthier. Neck pain in musicians is mostly preventable, just like cavities in musicians are preventable… if the proper action steps are taken.

Dr. Lou Jacobs in Portland, Maine has worked as a chiropractor for some of the world’s most famous musicians. He was interviewed for a published article in Guitar Player Magazine in 2023, and offers online consulting for musicians with playing related musculoskeletal and nerve disorders. Dr. Lou may be reached at (207) 774-6251, he is available to consult with patients anywhere in the world. 

Citations:
[1] https://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-centers/pain-management/majority-professional-musicians-experience-chronic-pain/812
[2] https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-021-04046-6
[3] https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/11/3991
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28466572/
[5] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.564736/full
[6] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/joor.12886
[7] https://alexandertechnique.com.au/the-science-is-in-for-musicians-with-neck-pain/
[8] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1934148218302120