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| Primary Author: |
Byl, N.
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| Journal Title: |
International Musician
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| Date Published: |
Dec-06 |
| Language: |
English
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| Category: |
Nervous Disorders
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| Key Words: |
dystonia cramp musician |
| Full Citation: |
Byl, Nancy. To Your Health- Musicians Cramp: An Update on Focal Dystonia. International Musician 104, no. 12 (December 2006): 11. |
| Full Abstract: |
Musicians' cramp is known as focal dystonia. One common type of focal dystonia to affect musicians is focal hand dystonia. In this disorder, involuntary co-contractions of the flexor and extensor muscles create abnormal postures of the fingers, thumb, and wrist. Current evidence of the cause of focal hand dystonia supports a model of aberrant or excessive neural plasticity due to intensive and repetitive practice of fine movements of the fingers and hand. Once a pattern is well-learned and established, successful remediation requires retraining the brain. Behavioral retraining may be supplemented with appropriate medications to minimize muscle spasms. |
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