We want to reduce the number of playing and performing related pain syndrome sufferers worldwide.
This will be achieved, at least in part, through this innovative anonymised online diagnostic and ergonomic assessment process.
Firstly, it enables music colleges to quantify and qualify the physical state of their students.
Secondly, it provides specific observations and conclusions to give positive advice to department heads and their students about the prevention and cure of their individual problems. In addition there is advice on setting up a health action plan.
There are three main priorities:
1. The welfare of your students.
2. The minimising of your legal position by listening to students problems and reacting positively to their concerns.
3. Objective assessment of individual students symptoms and work practices.
Issue awareness:
Effectively dealing with ill health and student absences needs sensitivity to the circumstances of that particular person. Being aware of legal obligations whilst obtaining as complete an understanding of the physical and mental state in which the person is working obviously has many positive effects. This is most important when a person may already have or may have recently developed a health concern or problem.
Situation management:
Responsibility for managing ill-health issues ultimately rests with the head of your institution. However, department heads have direct responsibility and must issue general guidance from time to time to reflect current legal requirements. Our report can form part of your guidance.
Identifying problems:
Managing sickness absences and players injuries often requires a pro-active approach if long-term problems are to be avoided.
Therefore it is vital that there is disclosure with the member of staff about whether the cause may be performance related and what measures could bring about an solution.
You can simply request them to be assessed by our system and you will be able to make an more informed judgement.
Early action is key, a stitch in time saves nine.
The key 'killer' of performance in the music industry is the many different types of repetitive strain injuries involving the upper limb, tendons and joints.
A quote from the creator of Workplacewellness.London: Paul Manley: "This area is no mystery to me, I have been diagnosing and treating these problems successfully for over 38 years in my Central London clinic.
I devised this online process based on my experience and my observations of these types of problems.
I found that they fell into various categories which are inevitably related to use or misuse whilst engaged in repetitive tasks. These categories are defined anatomically as 'zones' and are illustrated in the case history as pain maps with which you can indicate the severity of pain and discomfort."
So, if a person is having 'troubles' or even wishes to prevent problems from occurring then they can request a Workplace Wellness assessment from the department head or college counsellor.
Your Drilldown page takes all of the data from each students anonymised submission and turns it into frequency as defined by severity and position of the pain pattern. From this you can see the overall picture of sufferers and their pain patterns.
For example, a pain pattern may be in the top right forearm. This may co-exist with tension headaches on the same side. You will be able to see these patterns for yourself.
The Drilldown also takes you to each individual persons anonymised report. From this level you can see their particular pain pattern plus their history, ergonomic factors and stress levels.
The report contains specific observations by your students with regard to management style, bullying and
the quality of personal interactions with tutors and fellow students.
First of all you can consider it to be an adjunct to your existing health monitoring scheme. This normally includes
physical trainers, Alexander technique, on-site massage and ergonomic assessments as well as postural awareness and usage of their instrument.
Secondly, the reports will enable all of the professionals involved in your health monitoring scheme to see much more clearly each persons problem areas. All they need is the username of the student to see their reports. Names
and email addresses of students are not stored by our system. Therefore complete anonymity is ensured.
Third, you can make much more informed decisions about ergonomics, sick time, loss of performance standards and stress factors. You will be armed with much more data than would be provided by any existing health-monitoring scheme.
Each student will benefit greatly by virtue of the process itself. It is very specific. This increases the student's awareness of the areas involved. It can lead them to realise that their jaw tension and their type of bow usage, for example, are linked, thereby gaining more control over their problem. Most symptom patterns can be treated adequately by massage when they are due to tension patterns and the reports will show the practitioner precisely where to focus their therapeutic efforts.
They also benefit by 'venting their spleen' in the knowledge that their feedback will be seen, noted and most importantly, completely anonymous.