Help Musicians partners with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on Orchestral Injury Prevention Toolkit
Symphony of Good Sense – a new toolkit for orchestral injury prevention
Through Help Musicians’ partnership with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, we’re delighted to mark the launch of ‘A Symphony of Good Sense’, a pioneering new toolkit designed to support the physical health and wellbeing of orchestral musicians.
Created with the expertise of Dr. Sarah Upjohn, a leading UK musicians’ physiotherapist, this comprehensive resource aims to equip physiotherapists and healthcare professionals with the tools to tailor their support to the specific needs of musicians, addressing the high rates of injury that often affect their careers and overall wellbeing.
The toolkit highlights the common physical challenges faced by musicians, especially in orchestral settings, where studies show that between 77 – 89% of professionals may experience injuries.
It offers practical solutions for risk reduction, early identification of musculoskeletal issues, and strategies to speed up recovery, ensuring that musicians can maintain their health over the long term.
This work is critical, as injuries can have serious consequences on a musician’s performance and career longevity.
Liverpool Philharmonic, employing over 80 musicians, has long been at the forefront of supporting musicians’ health through its Musicians’ Performance and Wellbeing programme.
By partnering with Liverpool Philharmonic, British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) and various sectors of performance science, Help Musicians continues to play a key role in advancing musicians’ health in the UK.
This toolkit is a step forward in helping musicians thrive artistically and personally.
Sarah Woods, Chief Executive at Help Musicians said: “A career in music can be exhilarating but there are risks too; injuries can be common and with many musicians working as freelancers, this can have a devastating impact on both career development and financial stability.
Since 1921, safeguarding musicians’ health has been at the heart of what we do at Help Musicians. That’s why supporting the research behind ‘A Symphony of Good Sense’ has been so crucial to our work to prevent issues which can derail careers. Helping to ensure that musicians have healthy, long-lasting careers; bringing us all such joy from their creativity for many decades.”
Download A Symphony of Good Sense here.