Effect of Posture during Trumpet and Marching Euphonium Performance on the Trunk and Lower Limb Musculoskeletal System

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of trumpet and marching euphonium performance posture on the trunk and lower limb musculoskeletal system. [Subjects] The subjects were 10 female university students. [Methods] Subjects maintained a resting position, a trumpet performance posture, and a marching euphonium performance posture. The angles and muscle activities of the trunk and lower limbs were then measured. [Results] The anterior tilt angle of the trunk decreased significantly in the trumpet and marching euphonium performance postures compared with the resting standing position, as well as in the marching euphonium performance posture compared with the trumpet performance posture. The muscle activity of the cervical paraspinal muscles, upper fibers of the trapezius, and lumbar paraspinal muscles increased significantly in the marching euphonium performance posture compared with the resting standing position, as well as in the marching euphonium performance posture compared with the trumpet performance posture. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the performance position for trumpet and the marching euphonium performance increases the load on the cervical and thoracic musculoskeletal system, which increases with greater instrument weight. However, the same instrument performance postures had no affect on the musculoskeletal system of the lower limbs.