Impact of Different Bowing Techniques on Upper Trapezius Muscle Tone and Stiffness in Violinists: A Cohort Study

Objective: One of the most important health problems today is musculoskeletal disorders of the neck and upper extremities related to occupational activities. These disorders occur in occupational risk groups that require prolonged static postures or repetitive manual tasks. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different bowing techniques on the upper trapezius muscle (UTM) tone and stiffness in intermediate-level violinists. Material and Methods: The study included 14 violinists with a mean age of 25.28±7.57 years. Participants' neck range of motion, UTM tone, and stiffness were assessed using the MyotonPro device. The bowing techniques evaluated were detached tail, detached tip, and large bowing technique. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze both muscle tone and stiffness across the bowing techniques. Bonferroni correction was applied as a ''post hoc'' test. In all statistical analyses, p<0.05 was considered the level of significance. Results: There was no significant difference in UTM tone and stiffness between bowing techniques on the right side (p>0.05). However, while there was no significant difference in UTM stiffness, there was a statistically significant difference in UTM tone on the left side (p=0.01). Conclusion: The UTM tone is higher in the large bowing technique. There was no significant difference in pain and posture assessments between the bowing techniques.