Fine-tuning musicians’ wellbeing
New research has revealed how helping musicians tune into their bodies can improve their performance and reduce muscle tension. Researchers from the University of Sydney highlight biofeedback – a sensor-based mind-body technique – as a promising yet underused tool to support the physical demands of making music.
Published in Applied Ergonomics, the review evaluated 49 studies, combining data from 36 of them, to measure the effects of biofeedback. It examined how the technique influences muscle activity, musculoskeletal health and overall performance across musicians who played a variety of instruments and had a range of experience.
Biofeedback uses sensors to track processes such as muscle activity or movement, translating that information into visual or audio signals. This feedback can help musicians learn and adjust their technique.
Across the data, biofeedback consistently improved muscle activity while enhancing performance. While the findings on pain and physical symptoms were also encouraging, the authors noted the musculoskeletal health analysis involved just 13 participants and had no comparison group data.
The team also identified several practical challenges. Equipment must be accessible and straightforward to use, and training sessions must avoid distracting musicians or interfering with their movement. However, as the technology becomes more cost-effective, biofeedback could be used more in the future.
Moving forward, the researchers recommended closer collaboration among scientists, educators and musicians to integrate biofeedback into training. This would support physical wellbeing alongside musical achievement.
