Besvär i rörelseorganen hos musiklärare och deras syn på musikelevers hälsa : visioner och verklighet på kollisionskurs

Sammanfattning: The overall aim of the licentiate thesis was to reach a better understanding of music teachers' health, with focus on musculoskeletal disorders, and music teachers' view on young music students' health, from a gender perspective.A cross-sectional study was directed to music teachers employed at a municipality music- and culture school, in order to investigate the relationship between physical workload and work-related disorders among music teachers. Out of 61 music teachers 47 agreed to participate. The study group was divided into two groups depending on if they had an asymmetric or symmetric upper extremity and back playing posture. Musculoskeletal disorders were frequent among the music teachers. Women music teachers reported significantly more musculoskeletal disorders than their male collegues and music teachers with asymmetric work posture had significantly higher amount of musculoskeletal disorders than those who had a symmetric playing posture.A qualitative interview study with semi-structured interviews with 18 music teachers were conducted to explore music teachers' experiences of health and gender among young music students. An interview guide was used, with topic areas concerning experiences and perceptions of positive health aspects and health problems among young music students, taking part in music education. The interviews were analysed with qualitative content analysis according to Graneheim and Lundman. The analysis resulted in an overarching theme "Visions and reality in contradiction" and three categories: "Music making to feel good", "Pressure on girls, acceptance for boys" and "Blame on the individual".Music teachers at music- and culture schools seem to be at high risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders, especially music teachers playing an instrument that requires an asymmetric playing position. Young musicians' teachers need a better knowledge in the field of prevention of music students' health problems and physiotherapists and ergonomists may assist and collaborate in this. A gender perspective in music medicine research may contribute to a better understanding of musicians' health.