Abstract

Since musicians have to maintain a static sitting posture, they frequently suffer from musculoskeletal disorders. A professor from Université Laval’s faculty of music has designed a stool that is based on the principle of a dynamic sitting posture. At its centre, the stool has a rubberized pivot that serves as the fulcrum. Since the base of support is reduced, users must reduce the amplitude of their trunk movements to maintain their balance. The authors compared the postural stability and the activity of some postural muscles of violinists and violists using a standard bench and this new stool. The stool seems to reduce the amplitude and frequency of trunk movements, to help reduce the activity of the majority of the muscles studied, and to delay the onset of muscle fatigue. The authors suggest that the ergonomic stool be integrated into the regular practices of musicians so that they adopt postures that minimize excessive and inappropriate trunk movements and reduce the probability of low back pain.