Texas Center for Music and Medicine

UNT earns award for research on hearing loss in musicians

Submitted by bmh0084 on March 1, 2010 - 9:25am

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- The University of North Texas College of Music and Dr. Kris Chesky, director of UNT's Texas Center for Music and Medicine, have earned the 2010 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Award in the Services sector from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA).

The award, presented at the 35th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference Feb. 26 in Orlando, Fla., was given to UNT and Chesky for raising awareness of the importance of hearing loss prevention in musicians.

Chesky and researchers at UNT's Texas Center for Music and Medicine have been studying ways to prevent noise-induced hearing loss from music exposure and discovering ways people can save their hearing at an early age, thus improving their overall health and quality of life.

"Receiving this award from NIOSH is a high honor, and we are so pleased that our work is raising awareness about this issue on a national level," Chesky said. "I believe that every person learning about music in the United States, from early grade school through college, must be taught to understand that music is a sound source capable of harming hearing. This issue needs to be brought to the attention of everyone, particularly to those that direct music ensembles in colleges and public schools across the nation."

UNT takes steps to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in musicians by measuring sound levels produced during instructional activities, educating music students of the possible consequences of excessive exposures, and advising them of resources to protect their hearing. Ensemble directors and teachers discuss noise-induced hearing loss and prevention methods with their students.

In addition, Chesky developed and teaches a course, "Occupational Health: Lessons from Music," for undergraduate students of any major. The class focuses on musculoskeletal, hearing and mental health issues associated with musical occupations.

The NIOSH awards were given for hearing loss prevention programs in the construction, manufacturing and service sectors to honor individuals or organizations for innovation in hearing loss prevention and dedication in fostering and implementing new and unique advances in the prevention of hearing loss.

Eri Yoshimura was selected as UNT outstanding student researcher

Submitted by Ashley Hamer on March 9, 2009 - 10:11am

TCMM and UNT HSC Performs Study of Hand Kinematics in Piano Players

Submitted by Ashley Hamer on February 26, 2009 - 12:22pm

In February 2008, a collaborative research grant was received by the UNT Health Sciences Center and the Texas Center for Music and Medicine for a proposed study of the hand kinematics of piano players. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board in May 2008 and is currently in progress.

The study is being performed by Dr. Kris Chesky, Dr. Rita Patterson, Dr. Shrawan Kumar, Dr. George Kondraske and Eri Yoshimura in order to better understand musculoskeletal problems in the upper extremities of musicians, specifically piano players. Many pianists suffer from these problems and the nature and causes of these problems are not well understood, while ways to prevent or alleviate these problems are even less studied or reported. For this purpose, the study is measuring posture of the hands and force on the keys while playing different intervals and volumes on the piano.

Each of the 30 subjects are being asked to fill out a questionnaire about their musical background and other piano-related characteristics. Measurements of their upper extremities are taken, such as forearm length, hand volume, hand span, et cetera. Subjects are then attached with small reflective markers on the back of their hands, elbows, shoulders and forehead that will be used to track their movement with several motion-capture cameras as they play. Force sensors are placed under several keys to measure the amount of force a subject uses while playing.

Finally, the subject performs a 10 minute exercise that involves playing 5ths, 8ths and 9ths on the piano at varying dynamic levels to the beat of a metronome. The performance is recorded by video camcorder and data is taken by a computer through the force sensors and motion-capture cameras. After playing, each subject is asked a few more short questions.

Through the observation of movement, force, and posture of the hands while playing piano, the investigators of this study hope that it may eventually help pianists understand the origins of piano-related pain as well as direct the development of pedagogic, technical or ergonomic interventions.