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The Effect of a Postural Intervention on Fatigue in University Piano Students

Krista Mary Hafez, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Abstract

The repetitive nature of practice, extensive practice regimens, and competitive nature create conditions that predispose pianists for fatigue and overuse. Medical professionals agree that muscle fatigue increases the risk for injury. The purpose of this study was to identify whether a postural intervention had an effect on fatigue by quantifying and comparing muscular fatigue levels in pianists prior to and following the application of a postural intervention in order to provide pianists with information that would better inform their practice habits and instruction. The subjects of this study included ten college piano majors, ages 20-30, recruited from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Potential participants were given a demographic questionnaire in order to delimit participation qualifications and collect descriptive statistics. A quasi-experimental design framework was used to conduct pre- and post-test analysis on quantitative data collected during timed trials as measured by a Visual Analogue Fatigue Scale (VAFS). The treatment consisted of a pre-recorded video intervention—a longer video for training purposes and a short video used prior to each practice session over the span of eight weeks. Results from a two-way mixed ANOVA demonstrate that a postural intervention had a significant effect on fatigue levels. Gender had no effect on fatigue levels, and there was no interaction effect between gender and posture on fatigue levels.

Subject Area

Pedagogy|Music education|Performing Arts|Higher education

Recommended Citation

Hafez, Krista Mary, "The Effect of a Postural Intervention on Fatigue in University Piano Students" (2019). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI13862341.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI13862341

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