The neuromusculoskeletal system refers to the complete system of muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments and associated nerves and tissues that allow us to move, speak, and sing. This system also supports our body’s structure. The “neuro” part of the term “neuromusculoskeletal” refers to our nervous system that coordinates the ways in which our bodies move and operate. The nervous system consists of the brain, the spinal cord, and the hundreds of billions of nerves responsible for transmitting information from the brain to the rest of the body and back again in an endless cycle. Our nervous systems allow us to move, to sense, and to act in both conscious and unconscious ways. We could not listen to, enjoy, sing, or play music without these structures. In fact, making any change in our approach to movement – particularly to the array of complex movements needed for the performance of music – means working closely with our nervous system so that any automatic, unconscious or poor habits may be replaced with healthy, constructive, and coordinated movement choices.

Basic Protection Steps for All Musicians:

• Gain the information about the body that will help you move according to the body’s design and structure. The parts of the human body most relevant to movement include the nervous system, the muscular system, and the skeletal system. Muscles move our bones at joints. Our bony structure is responsible for weight delivery and contributes to the support we need to move with ease and efficiency. There is nothing inherent in the design of our bodies or instruments that should cause discomfort, pain or injury.
• Learn what behaviors or situations put your neuromusculoskeletal health at risk and refrain from these behaviors and situations.
• Always warm up before you practice, rehearse, or perform. It takes about 10 minutes before muscles are ready to fire at full capacity.
• Monitor your practice to avoid strain and fatigue. This means taking breaks when needed, avoiding excessive repetition or practice time if you notice fatigue, strain or discomfort.
• Use external support mechanisms when necessary such as neck straps, shoulder straps, proper bench or chair height.
• For vocal health, be sure to drink plenty of water, at least 8 glasses a day and limit your consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Avoid smoking.
• Be aware that some medications, such as allergy pills, may dry out your tissues. Be aware of side effects and consult your physician if you have questions.
• Maintain good general health and functioning by getting adequate sleep, good nutrition, and regular exercise.

For more information regarding musicians Neuromusculoskeletal Health, please visit Bodymap.org.

All students who participate in large ensembles at ACC should read this section on hearing health.

Hearing health is essential to your lifelong success as a musician. Your hearing can be permanently damaged by loud sounds, including music. Technically, this is called Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Such danger is constant. Noise-induced hearing loss is generally preventable. You must avoid overexposure to loud sounds, especially for long periods of time. The closer you are to the source of a sound, the greater the risk of damage to your hearing. Sounds over 85dB (your typical vacuum cleaner) in intensity pose the greatest risk to your hearing. Risk of hearing loss is based on a combination of sound loudness and duration.

Recommended maximum daily exposure times (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health – NIOSH) to sounds at or above 85 dB are as follows:

• 85 dB (vacuum cleaner, mp3 player at 1/3 column) – 8 hours
• 90 dB (blender, hair dryer) – 2 hours
• 94 dB (mp3 player at 1/2 volume) – 1 hour
• 100 dB (mp3 player at full volume, lawnmower) – 15 minutes
• 110 dB (rock concert, power tools) – 2 minutes
• 120 dB (jet planes at take-off) – without ear protection, damage is almost immediate
• Certain behaviors (controlling volume levels in practice and rehearsal, avoiding noisy environments, turning down the volume) reduce your risk of hearing loss. Be mindful of mp3 earbuds.
• When performing in either electric or acoustic ensembles, practice at safe volumes. Additionally, the use of earplugs and earmuffs can help to protect your hearing. Consider purchasing high-quality hearing protection such as custom molded earplugs.
• Day-to-day decisions can impact your hearing health, both now and in the future. Since sound exposure occurs in and out of school, you also need to learn more and take care of your hearing health on a daily, even hourly basis.
• When using headphones in labs or while recording, keep your monitoring levels low. This will protect your hearing and maintain your essential ability to notice detail. If your neighbor can hear the music from your headphones, you are monitoring with too much volume.

If you are concerned about your personal hearing health, talk with a medical professional.

Vocal health is important for all musicians and is essential to lifelong success for singers. Understanding basic care of the voice is essential for musicians who speak, sing, and rehearse or teach others. Because practicing, rehearsing, and performing music are physically demanding activities, musicians are susceptible to numerous vocal disorders, many of which are preventable and/or treatable. Please contact your supervision professor or division head to address any vocal health concerns as soon as possible.

Points to Consider

• Sufficient warm-up time is important.
• Begin warming up mid-range, and then slowly work outward to vocal pitch extremes.
• Good posture, adequate breath support, and correct physical technique are essential.
• Regular breaks during practice and rehearsal are vital in order to prevent undue physical or vocal stress and strain.
• It is important to set a reasonable limit on the amount of time that you will practice in a day.
• Avoid sudden increases in practice times.
• Know your voice and its limits, and avoid overdoing it or misusing it.
• Maintain healthy habits. Safeguard your physical and mental health.
• Drink plenty of water in order to keep your vocal folds adequately lubricated. Limit your use of alcohol, and avoid smoking.
• Day-to-day decisions can impact your vocal health, both now and in the future. Since vocal strain and a myriad of other injuries can occur in and out of school, you also need to learn more and take care of your own vocal health on a daily basis. Avoid shouting, screaming, or other strenuous vocal use.
• If you are concerned about your personal vocal health, talk with a medical professional.
• If you are concerned about your vocal health in relation to your program of study, consult the appropriate contact person at your institution.