Abstract
Playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs) are very common in drummers, yet injury prevention education is often missing from drum set curricula. This presentation will provide an overview of the research on PRMDs in drummers and outline the general risk factors for developing repetitive strain injuries and how they apply to playing the drum set. Strategies for identifying and managing these risk factors will also be discussed. Participants will be invited to reflect upon and discuss their own exposures to PRMD risk factors, and how they might apply risk factor mitigation strategies within their own drumming practices.
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).