Abstract
For any skilled performer to deliver their optimal performance, preparation must extend beyond skill-specific development to include physical conditioning, mental preparation, and injury prevention. This lecture will explore current research that demonstrates the importance of physical conditioning and injury prevention for drummers. Early results revealed that professional drummers’ heart rates during live performances can reach similar levels to those of other professional athletes during competitions. They also established that playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) are very common in drummers, particularly those affecting the upper limbs such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. Embedding injury prevention education within drum kit curricula is a promising strategy for reducing the rates at which drummers report experiencing PRMDs, and the barriers and facilitators that drum educators encounter when attempting to do so are currently under investigation.
Biography
Dr. Nadia Azar is an Associate Professor of Biomechanics and Ergonomics at the University of Windsor. As the founder and director of the Drummer Mechanics & Ergonomics Research (DRUMMER) Lab, her overall research goal is to do for drummers what sport science is doing for athletes: help them to achieve their peak performance while reducing their risk of injuries. She has presented this work at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and the Performing Arts Medicine Association’s Annual Symposium, published findings in top peer-reviewed journals in the field (e.g., Medical Problems of Performing Artists, Journal of Popular Music Education), received research funding from the GRAMMY Museum, and has successfully translated this work to members of the music community at large (e.g., CTV News Windsor, CBC Radio, The Windsor Star, Drum Talk TV, the Drumeo Beat, and interviews on multiple podcasts).