Hand Therapy > Volume 14, Number 3 > Pp. 69-74

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Butler, K. Articles by Winspur, I. Social Bookmarking                      What's this?

Retrospective case review of time taken for 130 professional musicians to fully return to playing their instruments following hand surgery

Katherine Butler ^*  and Ian Winspur 

^* London Hand Therapy; The Hand Clinic, London, UK

Correspondence: Katherine Butler, Clinical Specialist in Hand Therapy, London Hand Therapy, 30 Cumberland Mansions, Seymour Place, London W1H 5TF, UK. Email: katherinebutler{at}londonhandtherapy.co.uk

Background. Surgery on musicians must be entered into cautiously and should be the only treatment option indicated after trialling all other appropriate ones. There are four main principles that must be carefully considered when operating on musicians: the exact location of incisions, anatomic repair and reconstruction, adjustment of any anticipated anatomic compromise to the musician's specific musical needs and the need for an early return to limited playing. The purpose of this case review was to identify which instrument and what medical condition require the most time for the musician to fully return to playing. This in turn can assist in realistic goal setting with individual patients according to these two categories.

Methods. A retrospective review of a single surgeon's case series of 130 professional musicians was undertaken. Data regarding their medical condition, instrument played, length of time off the instrument following surgery and the time taken to return to full normal professional playing were recorded and analysed.

Results. A total of 97.7 percent of the patients returned to full time playing and there was a 2.3% ‘failure’ rate. The results indicate that piano players appear to initially take the most time to return to their instrument and string players take the most time to fully rehabilitate. Trauma appears to be the most difficult condition from which to initially recover however, nerve decompressions (with the exception of carpal tunnel releases) take the most time to fully rehabilitate. The most common medical condition requiring surgical intervention was nerve compressions and the piano was the most common instrument played in the series.

Conclusions. This case series highlights the importance of early return to playing and utilizing the musical instrument as a therapeutic tool in the rehabilitation programme of musicians.

Key Words: Professional musicians • hand surgery • case review

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?