NCT05604313

The Effects of Using an Ergonomic Chinrest When Playing the Violin

Self-reported and Objectively Measured Muscle Tension and Neck Kinematics in Violinists Playing With an Ergonomic and Usual Chinrest: a Randomised Crossover Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 38 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Southern Denmark · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

A one-day crossover randomised trial was conducted to compare violinists using an ergonomic chinrest (EC) with do-as-usual on muscle activation, kinematics and sound. After two weeks of testing the EC, self-perceived evaluations on comfort, performance, sound, neck alignment and muscle tension were reported in a questionnaire between EC and do-as-usual. The main question is to answer if: 1. the EC is superior compared to do-as-usual and gives a more aligned neck posture and less muscle tension/dynamic muscle activity 2. the EC is subjectively evaluated as better than do-as-usual regarding self-perceived comfort, performance and sound

Detailed description

The purpose of this study is to investigate the measurement of neck kinematics, muscle activation and sound when using EC and a usual chinrest and, additionally, their self-reported experience of neck alignment, muscle tension, sound experience, performance, and comfort. It is a crossover, block randomised (block sizes of 4) and within-subjects experimental design performed in one day. The design was made to compare an ergonomic chinrest used with a low shoulder rest (EC) with preferred chin and shoulder rest (do-as-usual) in a randomised order and the effect on muscle activation, kinematics and sound. The study also includes a two-week familiarisation period testing the EC before the test day (crossover design). After these two weeks, a questionnaire was given to register self-reported performance, comfort and sound experience. Furthermore, the participants were asked in an SMS about what ergonomic equipment they used after half a year (the EC, do-as-usual or other equipment). On the test day, all participants played with both setup an excerpt of a music piece (second movement from W. A. Mozart's violin concerto no. 5 in A major), The required sample size was estimated based on a previous feasibility study of either being in an awkward or neutral position with the head. We aimed to recruit 38 professional violinists. A professional violinist was defined as having finished the music conservatory with the violin as the main subject or attending school enrolled in the last years (master/soloist player). The protocol was initial feasibility tested, and we report this study using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 extension to randomised crossover trials.

Conditions

• Ergonomics

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Ergonomic chinrest used with low shoulder rest (EC)	Participants will play the violin using the ergonomic chinrest with a low Kun Super shoulder rest (EC) for two weeks before the test day (crossover study), measuring upper body kinematic and muscle activity. The novel ergonomic chinrest (Kréddle®, Wyoming, US) is fully adjustable to accommodate each violinist's body type and performance style: regarding height, rotation and tilting. The low Super Kun shoulder rest has been adjusted to be in the lowest position for all legs attached to the violin before the violinists received it. All participants was told not to adjust the shoulder rest but adjust the chinrest.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-01-04
• Primary completion: 2022-02-15
• Completion: 2022-02-15
• First posted: 2022-11-03
• Last updated: 2022-11-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Denmark