You spent years taking piano lessons, spent thousands of hours practicing, and were enjoying your professional career with an orchestra.
Then IT happened. Every time you sit down on the piano bench, your fingers betray you by cramping up.
Focal dystonia can do that to you.
It’s estimated that out of 6,600 people, one will develop focal dystonia, a neurological disorder where the brain sends the wrong information to muscles causing them to contract involuntarily.
But (and this a BIG but) if you’re a musician, your chances of being derailed by this chronic and life-disrupting condition are a whopping one in 100.
Worst of all, dystonia strikes musicians right where it will hurt their musical capabilities most.
For example, a drummer might suddenly find his elbows jamming up, and an oboe player could lose the ability to purse her lips enough to blow air through the reed.
Approximately 25% of stricken musicians never play their instrument again, while others do play again, after physical therapy and other medical and/or holistic interventions.
It’s thought that dystonia among musicians can be triggered by abnormally long practice sessions, or resuming playing after a long absence. Genetics may play a role, as could trauma, but researchers aren’t certain.
