Heather Macdonald, oboe
What if we could deepen our understanding of the treatment and causes of musicians’ injuries? Existing research tends to lump together diverse musicians with differing needs, attempting a “one size fits all” cure for playing-related pain. Our study chose instead to look specifically at oboists, and to get at the root of oboe-specific musculoskeletal injuries. This presentation details the results of our study of 228 oboe players, including a closer look at the types of injuries most often experienced by oboists, specific causes, and treatment efficacy in this specialized population.