Using an Ergonomic Chinrest With or Without Shoulder Rest During Violin Playing: a Feasibility Study

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Ergonomics
• Interventions: Device: Ergonomic chinrest used with a low Super Kun shoulder rest; Device: Ergonomic chinrest

• Registration Number: NCT05509465
• Lead Sponsor: University of Southern Denmark

Brief Summary

A one-arm feasibility study was conducted to test if violinists would accept to play with an identified ergonomic chinrest (EC) with the brand name Kréddle every day for two weeks. Every day the participants had to divide their total playing time equally between EC+ (ergonomic chinrest with shoulder rest) and EC- (ergonomic chinrest without shoulder rest) each day.

Detailed Description

This study is testing the feasibility (usability and acceptability) of a two-week familiarization period where violinists usually playing with a shoulder rest had to play their violin with an ergonomic chinrest (EC) with (EC+) and without a shoulder rest (EC-).

Primary outcomes were compliance, adherence, usability and acceptability of the familiarization period.

Prior the familiarization period each violinist received the chinrest (Kréddle) and a shoulder rest (Kun Super rest violin 4/4) and had to follow instructions given through three introduction videos.

The included violinists received a web questionnaire (QA) before and after the familiarization period. This period is unsupervised with the EC (ergonomic chinrest). Every day each violinist should equally divide their total playing time between playing without shoulder rest (EC-) and the other half with the shoulder rest (EC+) with the EC. A diary was answered each day containing different questions in regard to playing hours and usability.

The reporting in this study adheres to the CONSORT 2010 extension for pilot and feasibility trials.

When this study was initiated, we aimed at a sample size of 10-12 as a rule of thumb for a pilot/feasibility study. However, due to the corona pandemic and the many national restrictions including keeping distance, seeing only a few people, getting tested for the virus and staying at home, if possible, this number could not be reached. Even though the study was planned to include more participants the result from this small study is pointing in one direction, which is supported in a previous study as well.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-08-21
• Primary Completion: 2020-10-16
• Study Completion: 2020-10-16
• Status Verified: 2022-08
• Study First Submitted: 2022-08-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-08-19
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-08-19
• Study First Posted: 2022-08-22
• Last Update Posted: 2022-08-22

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 6

Inclusion Criteria

• Writing and speaking Danish or English fluently. Participants had to be trained violinists who could play the protocol classical repertoire and without a permanent employment contract in a Danish symphony orchestra.

Exclusion Criteria

• Trauma on the upper cervical spine or upper extremities within the previous year, previous or planned shoulder/neck operation, life-threatening health disorders, pacemaker or severe eczema on neck and upper extremities.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Ergonomic chinrest used with low shoulder rest (EC+)	Ergonomic chinrest used with a low Super Kun shoulder rest	Participants will play the violin using the ergonomic chinrest with a low Kun Super shoulder rest (EC+) for a two-week period to test its usability and acceptability. Each day participants have to use half of their playing time with EC+.
Ergonomic chinrest used without shoulder rest (EC-)	Ergonomic chinrest	Participants will play the violin using the ergonomic chinrest without a shoulder rest for a two-week period to test its usability and acceptability. Each day participants have to use half of their playing time with EC-.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Acceptability	Two weeks	Every day each violinist was encouraged to write feedback in the diary about using EC+, EC- and about the intervention. The descriptions and comments were categorized into comments about using EC-, EC+ or general comments; the response was grouped as positive or negative feedback.
Usability	Two weeks	Self-reported information about the usability of the EC- and EC+ was obtained by asking questions about perceived performance, comfort, and sound experience, as well as adjustment and confidence level. Furthermore, if the instructions videos given prior to the familiarization period were usable.
Compliance	Two weeks	Compliance for playing with EC- and EC+ was reached if the violinist managed to play minimum 25% out of total playing time with each of both settings. If compliance was \<25% it was considered that it would be a problem to use the setting
Adherence	Two weeks	Adherence to the protocol was recorded from the self-administrated two-week diary. The violinist had to answer a small questionnaire and play each day with one of the settings. Adherence is counted as numbers of days played with the different settings out of the two weeks given.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neck movement was recorded by the device called ViMove.	Two weeks	Neck movement data was collected with ViMove measured in degrees of movement in three anatomical planes. This was done after the two weeks and the violinists had to play with both EC and their own preferred chinrest (usual). These data were collected to make a sample size estimation for a planned larger study.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Southern Denmark; 🇩🇰 Odense, Denmark