Barcelona City Council | Capital humà

Physician specialised in arts medicine

Musicians, singers, actors, dancers (performing arts professionals) and all people who use their body as a means of expression (acrobats, film actors) can develop disorders throughout their professional career as a result of their work. According to various international studies, 80% of these professionals suffer at some point during their career from varying degrees of discomfort or injuries that hinder, and in some cases impede, studying, practicing and performing. Performing arts doctors, or specialists in so-called arts medicine, have emerged to prevent and treat these pathologies, delving into their causes and developing new technologies for diagnosis as well as preventive and corrective treatments.

• Carry out diagnoses and provide customised treatment and rehabilitation programmes for artists experiencing problems. Carry out patient follow-up and, together with the physiotherapist, adjust the treatment to the progress of the patient
  Make an initial diagnosis by studying medical history and symptoms and, above all, by observing how a musician plays or a dancer dances. In addition, use tools like ultrasound, electromyography, stroboscope, voice analyser, biofeedback, measurement systems and lip electrostimulation or the MIDI analysis system, among other especially designed tools.
  For treatment proposals, take into account the characteristics of the profession, the degree of severity of the injury or illness, the impact of its consequences, and the physical and psychological characteristics of the patient.
• Research work can summarised in the following tasks:
  Study the training techniques (repetition of movements, etc.) and self-discipline to which the various arts professionals are subjected, making an assessment of anatomy and physiology involved and of physical and emotional stress caused.
  Research possible causes of the various pathologies and develop new technologies to advance this research. Sometimes, tools are very simple, but also very useful and innovative. For example, creating a replica of part of a musical instrument, without metal and not the original size, makes it possible to perform a Functional MRI of a musican while he or she pretends to play, thus studying patterns of brain activation during the playing process.
  In addition, scientifically analyse the results of traditional treatments and research to create new, less invasive and more effective treatments. The Institute of Physiology and Arts Medicine of Terrassa helped to develop a new tool (the Sensory Motor Returning) which allows non-invasive neurorehabilitation in the treatment of focal dystonia (known as 'musician's cramp' or 'musician's cancer').
• In the area of training, design prevention programmes based on general preventive concepts and on avoiding specific factors that have been identified as predisposing or triggering the condition. These include anything from techniques for warming-up and stretching before and after a performance or practice session to muscle strengthening and relaxation and a postural education programme and a method programme.
  Also analyse and prepare performing arts professionals for top performance whilst helping prevent injuries, reinforcing their individual abilities and enforcing healthy postural and method habits. The effectiveness of this preparation shall by and large depend on whether or not it is initiated in the early stages of the professional career, preferably during student life.

Regulated training and graduates

• Grau: Medicina

Complementary training

Other specific skills

Learning and use of knowledge: Level 1

Conceptual thought: Level 1

Analytical thought: Level 3

Customer orientation: Level 2

Orientation within reach: Level 3

Concern for order and quality: Level 3

Healthcare

Working to maintain and improve health, as well as physical and mental well-being, is the primary interest of people who are involved in the field of healthcare. Some of the activities in this field include making diagnoses, prescribing treatments and monitoring illnesses and injuries. These activities also include the application of therapeutic treatments (traditional or alternative) with a view to facilitating the physical recovery of those being treated. To carry out these activities, one must have in-depth knowledge of the human body and medicine, in its various specialisations.

Social community worker

Individuals related to the social/community field have an interest in working to improve people's social well-being and quality of life, as well as enhance their integration into their social, family and/or work environment. The professional activities that are common in this field include providing special support and aid to people at risk of social exclusion, designing programmes and implementing resources for the social and cultural stimulation of an area, and acting as mediators for conflict resolution in family, social or interpersonal environments. These activities involve constant interaction with people in order to improve their psychological and social well-being.

Osteopath

Marine health expert

Homeopath

Naturopath

Neurobiologist

• Work hours

  There is no standard formula; these professionals may work full time or part time.

• Salary

  Salary range: between 24.446 and 39.155 euros annum gross. Median: 30.938 euros annum gross.
  
  Source: Report "Observatory of Jobs and Salaries of the Labour Market. Barcelona Activa", elaborated by ICSA Grupo. April 2015.

• Human resources and equipment

  They greatly depend on the services offered, bearing in mind that many of them can be shared or diverted to other centres. At present, there is only one centre throughout Spain that is exclusively devoted to these pathologies; it has professionals from different disciplines who work to address the pathologies.