{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,24]],"date-time":"2026-08-24T21:03:49Z","timestamp":1787605429594,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,22]],"date-time":"2022-03-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1647907200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background and objectives<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Professional pianists tend to develop playing-related musculoskeletal disorders mostly in the forearm. These injuries are often due to overuse, suggesting the existence of a common forearm region where muscles are often excited during piano playing across subjects. Here we use a grid of electrodes to test this hypothesis, assessing where EMGs with greatest amplitude are more likely to be detected when expert pianists perform different excerpts.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Tasks were separated into two groups: classical excerpts and octaves, performed by eight, healthy, professional pianists. Monopolar electromyograms (EMGs) were sampled with a grid of 96 electrodes, covering the forearm region where hand and wrist muscles reside. Regions providing consistently high EMG amplitude across subjects were assessed with a non-parametric permutation test, designed for the statistical analysis of neuroimaging experiments. Spatial consistency across trials was assessed with the Binomial test.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Spatial consistency of muscle excitation was found across subjects but not across tasks, confining at most 20% of the electrodes in the grid. These local groups of electrodes providing high EMG amplitude were found at the ventral forearm region during classical excerpts and at the dorsal region during octaves, when performed both at preferred and at high, playing speeds.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Our results revealed that professional pianists consistently load a specific forearm region, depending on whether performing octaves or classical excerpts. This spatial consistency may help furthering our understanding on the incidence of playing-related muscular disorders and provide an anatomical reference for the study of active muscle loading in piano players using surface EMG.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0265575","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,22]],"date-time":"2022-03-22T17:24:22Z","timestamp":1647969862000},"page":"e0265575","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Are the forearm muscles excited equally in different, professional piano players?"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0424-7054","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Alba","family":"Thio-Pera","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Matteo","family":"De Carlo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Manzoni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fabrizio","family":"D\u2019Elia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5295-5314","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Giacinto Luigi","family":"Cerone","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giovanni","family":"Putame","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5699-6009","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Mara","family":"Terzini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5939-6212","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Marco","family":"Gazzoni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Bignardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Taian","family":"Vieira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"pone.0265575.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1093\/occmed\/kqi177","article-title":"A systematic review of prevalence and risk factors associated with playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in pianists","volume":"56","author":"P Bragge","year":"2006","journal-title":"Occupational Medicine"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.21091\/mppa.2015.1002","article-title":"Pain prevalence in instrumental musicians: A systematic review","volume":"30","author":"AG Silva","year":"2015","journal-title":"Medical Problems of Performing Artists"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref003","article-title":"A comparative study on the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among musicians and non-musicians","volume":"14","author":"LM Kok","year":"2013","journal-title":"BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"487","DOI":"10.1007\/s10067-013-2199-1","article-title":"Musicians\u2019 illness perceptions of musculoskeletal complaints","volume":"32","author":"LM Kok","year":"2013","journal-title":"Clinical Rheumatology"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref005","unstructured":"Zaza C, Charles C, Muszynski A. The meaning of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders to classical musicians."},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.21091\/mppa.2001.1004","article-title":"Prevalence of hand, finger, and wrist musculoskeletal problems in keyboard instrumentalists: The University of North Texas Musician Health Survey","volume":"16","author":"CH Pak","year":"2001","journal-title":"Medical Problems of Performing Artists"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"855","DOI":"10.1007\/s00420-007-0279-8","article-title":"Playing-related disabling musculoskeletal disorders in young and adult classical piano students","volume":"81","author":"S Bruno","year":"2008","journal-title":"International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref008","unstructured":"Niu R. Types and Causes of Physiological Injury in Piano Playing, with Types and Causes of Physiological Injury in Piano Playing, with Emphasis on Piano Pedagogy in China Emphasis on Piano Pedagogy in China. 2020. https:\/\/researchrepository.wvu.edu\/etd\/7693."},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0208788","article-title":"The correlation between upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and joint kinematics, playing habits and hand span during playing among piano students","volume":"13","author":"Y Kaufman-Cohen","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref010","article-title":"Pianism: Performance communication and the playing technique","author":"B James","year":"2018","journal-title":"Frontiers in Psychology. Frontiers Media S.A"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.21091\/mppa.2020.2013","article-title":"Effects of rehearsal time and repertoire speed on extensor carpi radialis EMG in conservatory piano students","volume":"35","author":"JP Baeyens","year":"2020","journal-title":"Medical Problems of Performing Artists"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1016\/j.humov.2011.01.002","article-title":"Individual differences in the biomechanical effect of loudness and tempo on upper-limb movements during repetitive piano keystrokes","volume":"31","author":"S Furuya","year":"2012","journal-title":"Human Movement Science"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Furuya S, Aoki T, Nakahara H, Kinoshita H. Biomechanics of upper extremity movements in piano keystroke. 2008.","DOI":"10.1016\/S0021-9290(07)70657-7"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"581","DOI":"10.1007\/s00221-007-1184-9","article-title":"Organization of the upper limb movement for piano key-depression differs between expert pianists and novice players","volume":"185","author":"S Furuya","year":"2008","journal-title":"Experimental Brain Research"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref015","article-title":"Spatial localization of electromyographic amplitude distributions associated to the activation of dorsal forearm muscles","author":"A Gallina","year":"2013","journal-title":"Frontiers in Physiology"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref016","article-title":"Extracting extensor digitorum communis activation patterns using high-density surface electromyography","volume":"6","author":"X Hu","year":"2015","journal-title":"Frontiers in Physiology"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1249\/JES.0000000000000240","article-title":"The Accurate Assessment of Muscle Excitation Requires the Detection of Multiple Surface Electromyograms","volume":"49","author":"TM Vieira","year":"2021","journal-title":"Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-87403-8","article-title":"Exhausting repetitive piano tasks lead to local forearm manifestation of muscle fatigue and negatively affect musical parameters","volume":"11","author":"E Goubault","year":"2021","journal-title":"Scientific Reports"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hkjot.2011.06.002","article-title":"Wrist positioning and muscle activities in the wrist extensor and flexor during piano playing","volume":"21","author":"N Oikawa","year":"2011","journal-title":"Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2015.01277","article-title":"Differential effects of type of keyboard playing task and tempo on surface EMG amplitudes of forearm muscles","volume":"6","author":"HJ Chong","year":"2015","journal-title":"Frontiers in Psychology"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"762","DOI":"10.1080\/00028899908984499","article-title":"The effects of keyswitch stiffness on typing force, finger electromyography, and subjective discomfort","volume":"60","author":"MJ Gerard","year":"1999","journal-title":"American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3371","DOI":"10.1109\/TBME.2019.2904398","article-title":"A modular, smart, and wearable system for high density sEMG detection","volume":"66","author":"GL Cerone","year":"2019","journal-title":"IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Nichols TE, Holmes AP. Nonparametric Permutation Tests For Functional Neuroimaging: A Primer with Examples. 2001.","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.1058"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref024","article-title":"Nonparametric Analysis of Statistic Images from Functional Mapping Experiments","author":"AP Holmes","year":"1996","journal-title":"Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref025","author":"John A Faulkner","year":"1993","journal-title":"Injury to Skeletal Muscle Fibers During Contractions: Conditions of Occurrence and Prevention"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref026","article-title":"Time Use in Instrumental Rehearsals: A Comparison of Experienced, Novice, and Student Teachers","author":"TW Goolsby","year":"1996","journal-title":"Journal of Research in Music Education"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.21091\/mppa.2007.1004","article-title":"Ferrario, Chiara Macr\u00ec, Emilia Biffi, Paolo Pollice, Chiarella Sforza. Three-Dimensional Analysis of Hand and Finger Movements during Piano Playing","volume":"22","author":"F Virgilio","year":"2007","journal-title":"Medical Problems of Performing Artists"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref028","volume-title":"Frontiers in Human Neuroscience","author":"S Furuya","year":"2013"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0236254","article-title":"Temporal and quantitative variability in muscle electrical activity decreases as dexterous hand motor skills are learned","volume":"15","author":"T Aoyama","year":"2020","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"432","DOI":"10.1186\/s12891-021-04287-5","article-title":"Understanding regional activation of thoraco-lumbar muscles in chronic low back pain and its relationship to clinically relevant domains","volume":"22","author":"F Serafino","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e339","DOI":"10.1111\/sms.12319","article-title":"Do sweep rowers symmetrically activate their low back muscles during indoor rowing?","volume":"25","author":"NGG Readi","year":"2015","journal-title":"Scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports"},{"key":"pone.0265575.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"479","DOI":"10.1007\/s00221-003-1678-z","article-title":"Properties of human motor units after prolonged activity at a constant firing rate","volume":"154","author":"KVB Johnson","year":"2004","journal-title":"Experimental Brain Research"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0265575","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,22]],"date-time":"2022-03-22T17:25:07Z","timestamp":1647969907000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0265575"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Jason","family":"Organ","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,22]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"3","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,22]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0265575","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,22]]}}}