Lai Kuan-Yin, Hsu Chieh-Hsiang, Lin Yu-Chen, Tsai Chung-Hung, An Kai-Nan, Su Fong-Chin, Kuo Li-Chieh
Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan, Taiwan.
Hum Mov Sci. 2025 Feb;99:103319. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2024.103319. Epub 2025 Jan 10.
This study aimed to investigate the effect of hand muscle fatigue on finger control and force efficiency during piano performance, which is crucial for skilled piano playing among professional pianists engaged in prolonged periods of high-intensity practice or concert preparation. Thirty-one professional pianists were recruited as participants. This study was divided into three sequential experimental parts: pre-fatigue test, fatigue protocol, and post-fatigue test. Each participant was assigned eight piano skills and instructed to perform two fatigue tasks: finger extension and finger grasping exercises. The study recorded and analyzed the finger force of professional pianists using a sensor-embedded kinetic assessment piano system; wrist movements were assessed using a three-dimensional motion capture system. Paired t-tests were used to determine the differences between the pre- and post-tests. The findings showed that the average peak striking force of most fingers in Chords 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7 decreased significantly after the fatigue task, indicating a reduction in the finger-striking force following fatigue across the various chord fingerings. The analysis of wrist movements demonstrated strategic adjustments made by pianists after experiencing fatigue, particularly in the ulnar/radial deviation movements. This study highlights the influence of muscle fatigue on finger control and wrist movements of pianists across different fingerings. We recommend that pianists focus on strengthening the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the hand and the muscle groups responsible for controlling ulnar/radial movements to mitigate the effects of muscular fatigue on hand performance.
本研究旨在调查手部肌肉疲劳对钢琴演奏过程中手指控制和力量效率的影响，这对于长时间进行高强度练习或音乐会准备的专业钢琴家的熟练演奏至关重要。招募了31名专业钢琴家作为参与者。本研究分为三个连续的实验部分：疲劳前测试、疲劳方案和疲劳后测试。为每位参与者分配了八项钢琴技能，并指导他们执行两项疲劳任务：手指伸展和手指抓握练习。该研究使用嵌入传感器的动力学评估钢琴系统记录并分析了专业钢琴家的手指力量；使用三维运动捕捉系统评估了手腕运动。使用配对t检验来确定测试前后的差异。研究结果表明，在疲劳任务后，和弦1、2、4、5、6和7中大多数手指的平均峰值敲击力显著下降，表明在各种和弦指法中，疲劳后手指敲击力降低。对手腕运动的分析表明，钢琴家在经历疲劳后进行了策略性调整，尤其是在尺侧/桡侧偏斜运动方面。本研究强调了肌肉疲劳对钢琴家不同指法下手指控制和手腕运动的影响。我们建议钢琴家专注于加强手部的外在和内在肌肉以及负责控制尺侧/桡侧运动的肌肉群，以减轻肌肉疲劳对手部表现的影响。
