Dystonia

Question 1

Task-specific musicians dystonia (MD)

Answer 1

Most severe movement failure (musician’s creamp). Two types;

• focal hand dystonia (FHD)
• Embouchure dystonia (ED)

Persistent muscular incoordination or loss of voluntary motor control. Lack of pain distinguishes it from overuse injury

Question 2

Early symptoms

Answer 2

• Subtle loss of control in fast passages
• Irregularity of trills
• Lack of temporo-spatial finger precision

often followed by intesifying efforts, yet this worsens it.

Question 3

Risk factors

Answer 3

personality;
- Anxiety prone
- perfectionist
- controle type

Hereditary
- positive fam history of dystonia, males

instrument
- Guitar, pianist and brass instruments highest risk
- Starting after the age of 10 = much higher risk

Question 4

Focal hand dystonia

Answer 4

Involuntary loss of control and coordination in finger movements during instrumental playing correlated to extensive and forceful use of fingers

Question 5

Embouchure dystonia

Answer 5

Affects the muscles of the lower face, like mouth, jaw, tongue etc. , used to control airflow through an instrument. This together with focal hand are the two main types of musicians dystonia.