Research Information System
Fessh Online Week, 25th FESSH-EFSHT Congress - XXV FESSH-ON(LINE)-WEEK CONGRESS, Basel, Switzerland, 1 - 05 September 2020, pp.358-359
Instrument training is a challenging process that takes many years of physical and psychological burdens. In this process,
performers experience stress due to their long working time, inadequate resting breaks and excessive working time.
Accumulated stress and increased anxiety levels can let individuals live different somatic experiences. It is thought that
increased anxiety level may stress the musculoskeletal system and cause repeated muscle contractions and spasms. The
aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between anxiety levels and upper extremity pain experiences of
individuals studying violoncello. Nineteen bachleor and high school degree students between 13 and 28 years (18,05±4,156)volunteered to participate to the study. To determine pain with its region, Mc Gill Melzack pain questionnaire was
administered. Visual Anolog Scale was also used to detect pain intensity before, during and after the performance. Beck
Anxiety Questionnaire was used to evaluate anxiety levels. SPSS 20.0 program was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive
statistics of demographic characteristics, pain and anxiety severity of the individuals were determined. Pearson correlation
analysis was used to determine the relationship between pain severity and anxiety levels.
The Beck Anxiety Scale scores showed that 52.6% of the participants had mild anxiety, 31.6% had moderate anxiety, and
15.8% had severe anxiety. In addition, 94.7% (18 individuals) of these individuals stated that they had pain problems.
The pain was most common in the wrist, shoulder and scapular region. There was a positive correlation between anxiety
and resting pain severity (r =, 507, p <0.05); however there was no correlation between the severity of pain and anxiety
during the performance (p> 0.05).
It was determined that the level of anxiety caused individuals to experience pain during rest without mechanical stress.
Individuals who experience pain due to psychosocial experiences, especially the upper extremity, may cause individuals to
be vulnerable. The fact that the relation was not found during performance may be due to the activation of different factors
during playing violoncello. If the pain resulting from psychosocial problems becomes cumulative, it may adversely affect
the musician’s hand functions in the future. Further studies including long-term follow-up of upper extremity functions
and psychosocial status of musicians with negative psychological experience such as stress anxiety are recommended.