You can detect physical overstrain by listening to your body. As well as evaluating your own symptoms, it’s worth getting your music instructor’s opinion and, if necessary, consulting a physician or physiotherapist specialised in musicians’ symptoms.

Typical symptoms among musicians are

• Muscle symptoms (stiffness, pain, weakness)
• Neurological symptoms (numbness, stabbing pains)
• Hormonal symptoms (menstrual dysfunction)
• Metabolic symptoms (fatigue, weight gain)
• System regulation disorders (sweating, chills)
• Psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, sleeping disorders, depression)

Typical mistakes when suffering from overstrain are

1. Interpreting your body's messages as normal.
2. Masking your body's messages with medication.

Erja Joukamo-Ampuja and Jouko Heiskanen