Performing Arts Medicine Clinic｜Injury Treatment for Musicians and Dancers
The Performing Arts Medicine Clinic focuses on pain, movement dysfunction, performance-related injuries, and return-to-performance care for musicians, dancers, and performing artists.
Dr. Daniel Chiung-Jui Su integrates physical medicine and rehabilitation, musculoskeletal ultrasound, regenerative medicine, and performing arts medicine to provide care closely aligned with the real demands of playing, dancing, and performing.
The goal is not only to relieve pain but also to restore functional performance, improve movement control, rebuild endurance, enhance body-use efficiency, and help performers return to the stage safely after injury.
This is where the art of medicine meets the art of performance.
What Is Performing Arts Medicine?
Performing arts medicine is a specialized field of medicine dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and return-to-performance care of injuries in musicians, dancers, vocalists, and other performing artists.
The physical demands on performers differ from those on the general population. For musicians, the problem may not be pain alone. It may also involve:
- Slower finger speed
- Reduced playing endurance
- Poorer articulation or control
- Difficulty controlling the embouchure
- Inconsistent performance on stage
- Reduced performance quality due to pain, tension, or anxiety
For dancers, common problems may include:
- Recurrent foot and ankle injuries
- Instability during jumping or turning
- Chronic pain caused by overuse
- Imbalance between flexibility and control
- Poor recovery before or after performances
Therefore, performing arts medicine is not only about treating pain. It is about helping performers restore function, optimize their use of the body, and reduce the risk of future injury.
Who May Benefit from the Performing Arts Medicine Clinic?
This clinic is especially suitable for the following groups:
Musicians
- String players
- Pianists
- Wind and brass players
- Percussionists
- Vocalists
- Traditional Chinese instrument players
- Popular music performers
- Orchestra musicians
- Music students preparing for auditions, competitions, recitals, or examinations
Dancers and Performing Artists
- Ballet dancers
- Rhythmic gymnasts
- Dance students
- Professional and semi-professional performers
Common Problems in String Players
String players may experience:
- Stiff or less fluid vibrato
- Slower finger speed or finger weakness
- Poorer articulation
- Reduced playing endurance
- Less smooth bowing control in the right hand
- Abnormal tremor in the left or right hand
- Fingers getting stuck, making double stops difficult
- Performance-related pain, numbness, soreness, or fatigue
Common Problems in Pianists and Percussionists
Pianists and percussionists may experience:
- Reduced dynamic range
- Poor coordination of volume between the left and right hands
- Slower or uneven trills
- Reduced playing endurance
- Poor finger independence
- Finger collapse or unstable finger control during playing
- Neck, shoulder, back, or upper-limb pain, soreness, numbness, or fatigue
Common Problems in Wind and Brass Players
Wind and brass players may experience:
- Difficulty maintaining a focused embouchure
- Involuntary trembling, asymmetry, or air leakage around the mouth
- Difficulty reaching high notes or low notes
- Neck bulging during playing
- Neck and shoulder pain with hand numbness
- Reduced control, stability, or endurance while playing
Performance Anxiety-Related Problems
Some performers may notice a large difference between practice and stage performance, such as:
- Becoming tense or losing focus on stage
- Hand tremor or reduced control caused by anxiety
- Unexpected performance breakdown during auditions, competitions, or concerts
Common Problems in Dancers
Dancers may experience:
- Foot or ankle pain during dancing
- Recurrent ankle sprains or instability
- Chronic lower-limb discomfort caused by overuse
- Poor recovery during intensive training or performance periods
- Movement limitations caused by an imbalance between flexibility and stability
Special Clinic Hours for Musicians
The special clinic hours for musicians are currently available during:
- Tuesday morning
- Tuesday evening
- Friday morning
The suggested process is:
- Arrange an initial clinic evaluation.
- Based on your symptoms, performance demands, and examination findings, further assessment or treatment may be arranged if needed.
- If necessary, return-to-performance adjustment and follow-up may be arranged before returning to full playing or performance.
Before Your Visit
To help us better understand your performance-related problem, we recommend the following:
- If possible, please bring your instrument to the clinic.
- For large instruments such as double bass, piano, or harp, you may record a video of your playing or practice in advance.
- If you are preparing for a competition, audition, recital, examination, or important performance, early assessment and adjustment are recommended.
- For check-ups before international competitions, auditions, or recitals, it is best to schedule an evaluation 3 to 6 months in advance.
