Violin posture, movement and musicians’ health

Playing the violin is a complex interaction of posture, movement, motor control and musical expression. Many musicians experience playing-related discomfort or pain, but the relationship between posture, physical health and performance is still an active field of research. This page gathers evidence-based information, general advice, professional societies and selected literature – and separates established findings from open questions.

Please note: this page gives general information. It does not replace an individual examination, diagnosis or treatment. If you have persistent or severe pain, numbness or loss of function, please see a doctor or a physiotherapist.

Research & evidence

There is no single scientifically established ideal violin posture.

Playing posture is a dynamic interaction between the musician, the instrument, the musical task and the environment. Healthy Strings investigates how movement patterns relate to physical comfort, performance and musicians’ health.

Posture and movement

A scoping review of 135 studies found that posture is defined and assessed in very different ways, and that a link between “poor” posture and playing-related pain has not been clearly established (Rousseau et al., 2026).

Pain and risk factors

Musculoskeletal complaints are common in professional musicians (point prevalence 9–68 %; Kok et al., 2016). Orchestral musicians name high or sudden increases in playing load as major contributors (Chan & Ackermann, 2014).

Motor control and exercise

Motor-control-based interventions may help bowed string players with pain and function, but only four studies exist (Adamik et al., 2026). Purpose-designed exercises activate the shoulder-blade stabilisers, with little immediate change while playing (Rousseau et al., 2026, Part I and II).

Assessment and technology

Video analysis and AI can describe movement patterns. Whether a pattern is healthy or harmful needs clinical evaluation – and research on how reliable expert video assessments are. This is one of the questions of Healthy Strings.

Healthy practice

General, evidence-informed principles for violinists, students and teachers – not individual therapy instructions.

Plan your playing load. Increase practice time and intensity gradually, especially before auditions, concerts or after holidays, and build in regular breaks.
Stay physically fit. Strength-training programmes have shown short-term benefits for musicians’ complaints (Laseur et al., 2023); ask a professional for a programme that suits you.
Adapt the set-up to your body. Chin rest, shoulder rest, chair and stand height can be adjusted individually – ideally together with a teacher or specialist.
Take early signs seriously. Fatigue or pain that persists after playing is a reason to reduce load and to seek advice early.
Return gradually. After an injury or a longer break, rebuild playing time step by step.

Where to find support

We do not list individual doctors or therapists. The professional societies below provide information, advice and – in some countries – directories of specialised professionals.

Austria: ÖGfMM – Austrian Society for Music and Medicine.
Germany: DGfMM – German Society for Music Physiology and Musicians’ Medicine.
Switzerland: SMM with its free, anonymous advice centre Swissmedmusica.
United Kingdom: BAPAM directory of performing-arts-specialist health professionals.
Elsewhere: PAMA (international) and ASPAH (Australia).
Many music universities offer health services for their students – ask at your institution.

Professional societies

Musicians’ medicine and performing arts health

Society	Region	Focus
ÖGfMM – Österreichische Gesellschaft für Musik und Medizin	Austria	Musicians’ medicine in Austria; member list of professionals from several disciplines. Host of this website.
DGfMM – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Musikphysiologie und Musikermedizin	Germany	Music physiology and musicians’ medicine in Germany; information and contacts.
SMM – Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Musik-Medizin	Switzerland	Interdisciplinary society; its advice centre Swissmedmusica offers free, anonymous counselling.
BAPAM – British Association for Performing Arts Medicine	United Kingdom	Health charity for performers; directory of more than 300 performing-arts-specialist health professionals.
PAMA – Performing Arts Medicine Association	International / USA	Medicine, therapy, education and research for performing artists.
ASPAH – Australian Society for Performing Arts Healthcare	Australia	National organisation for health in the performing arts.

Physiotherapy for performing artists

ENPPA – European Network of Physiotherapy for Performing Arts, founded in April 2026 at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, promotes research, teaching and practice in physiotherapy for performing artists. Several Healthy Strings team members are among its founders.

The societies are independent organisations. Listing them does not imply a partnership with Healthy Strings.

Selected literature

Scoping review Rousseau, C., Zalpour, C., Ackermann, B., & Rennie-Salonen, B. (2026). Instrumental musicians’ playing posture: A scoping review of its conceptualisation and application across interdisciplinary research. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, Article 1831920. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1831920
135 studies; definitions of posture vary widely; no clearly established link between “poor” posture and pain.
Systematic review Kok, L. M., Huisstede, B. M. A., Voorn, V. M. A., Schoones, J. W., & Nelissen, R. G. H. H. (2016). The occurrence of musculoskeletal complaints among professional musicians: A systematic review. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 89(3), 373–396. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-015-1090-6
21 studies, 5,424 musicians; point prevalence 9–68 %.
Systematic review Zinn-Kirchner, Z. M., Alotaibi, M., Mürbe, D., & Caffier, P. P. (2023). For fiddlers on the roof and in the pit: Healthcare and epidemiology of playing-related problems in violinists. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 16, 2485–2497. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S425406
31 studies with more than 6,000 musicians; violinists’ problems involve many medical specialties.
Review Chan, C., & Ackermann, B. (2014). Evidence-informed physical therapy management of performance-related musculoskeletal disorders in musicians. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, Article 706. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00706
Load management, health education, exercise and on-site physiotherapy for orchestral musicians (Sound Practice project).
Systematic review Adamik, A., Mikołajczyk, E., & Szczechowicz, J. (2026). Effects of motor control-based interventions on pain and functional outcomes in bowed string musicians: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 15(9), Article 3326. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15093326
Four studies; possible benefits for pain and function, but limited confidence.
Systematic review Laseur, D. J. G., Baas, D. C., & Kok, L. M. (2023). The prevention of musculoskeletal complaints in instrumental musicians: A systematic review. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 38(3), 172–188. https://doi.org/10.21091/mppa.2023.3022
Strength-training programmes showed short-term benefits for complaints and pain.
Pilot study Rousseau, C., Zalpour, C., Chi, J.-Y., & Ackermann, B. J. (2026). Development of specific instrumentalist exercises to improve scapular stabilization – a proof of concept study (New exercises to strengthen musicians – Part I). Frontiers in Psychology, 17, Article 1825799. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1825799
Instrument-specific exercises recruit the targeted shoulder muscles (EMG); no clinical effect tested yet.
Quasi-experimental Rousseau, C., Zalpour, C., Chi, J.-Y., & Ackermann, B. J. (2026). Immediate effect of exercises of scapular stabilization on shoulder and forearm muscle activation patterns while playing the violin (New exercises to strengthen musicians – Part II). Frontiers in Psychology, 17, Article 1825818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1825818
12 violinists; exercises activate the stabilisers, but playing patterns hardly change immediately.
Cross-sectional Steinmetz, A., Claus, A., Hodges, P. W., & Jull, G. A. (2016). Neck muscle function in violinists/violists with and without neck pain. Clinical Rheumatology, 35(4), 1045–1051. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-015-3000-4
Altered neck muscle activity in players with neck pain; no causal conclusion.
Article Möller, D., Ballenberger, N., Ackermann, B., & Zalpour, C. (2018). Potential relevance of altered muscle activity and fatigue in the development of performance-related musculoskeletal injuries in high string musicians. Medical Problems of Performing Artists, 33(3), 147–155. https://doi.org/10.21091/mppa.2018.3021

Last checked: November 2026.