Body Awareness of the Orofacial Area in Wind and Brass Instrumentalists: An Observational Study

Abstract

Background Woodwind and brass instrumentalists have a high sensomotoric demand of their orofacial region while playing their instrument. Orofacial problems (OFP) have an influence on the body perception in this area. Purpose The aim of this study was to assess and compare the body awareness of the orofacial area in musicians (woodwind/brass) and non-musicians and investigate to what extent OFP may affect the instrumentalists’ body awareness. Methods Primary outcome parameters include Two Point Discrimination, Facial Emotion Recognition, Lateralization, and the Tongue and Mouth Imagery Questionnaire (TMIQ). Secondary outcome parameters are colored body drawings and the Central Sensitization Inventory. Musicians additionally filled in the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians – German version. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to assess group differences among the assessments. Body drawings were analyzed qualitatively. Results A total of 75 participants were recruited for the study and divided into three groups (control group: CG; musicians without OFP: M − OFP; musicians with OFP: M + OFP). Statistically significant between-group differences were found for both music groups in the TMIQ total-score (M + OFP vs. M − OFP : −6.577, p = .028) and the kinesthetic subscale (M + OFP vs. M − OFP : −3.971, p = .034). Other primary outcome parameters did not show significant differences. For the secondary parameters, statistically significant differences in the CSI were found between affected and non-affected musicians (M + OFP vs. M − OFP : 9.258, p = .004) as well as between the affected musicians and the control group (M + OFP vs. CG: 7.133, p = .043). The qualitative analysis of the body drawings did not show clear group-specific differences. Conclusion Based on the results of this study, body awareness of the orofacial region does not significantly differ between musicians and non-musicians. Differences between musicians with and without OFP are small. This project is a valuable contribution to the development of numerous further research projects in the area.