Table 1 Baseline characteristics of music academy and medical students participating in a survey on musculoskeletal complaints

Age (years) (mean (SD))

21.5 (2.2)

22.1 (2.6)

P = 0.062 ~

Gender (%)

Male: 22 (26.2%) Female: 62 (73.8%)

Male: 120 (24.3%) Female: 374 (75.7%)

P = 0.843 *

Study (%)

Bachelor: 72 (86.7%) Master: 11 (13.3%)

Bachelor: 248 Master: 246

P < 0.001 *

Smoking (%)

10 (11.9%)

26 (5.3%)

P = 0.019 *

Sport (hours in one week) (mean (SD))

2.2 (2.4)

3.0 (2.8)

P = 0.005 ~

Alcohol consumption (E/week) (mean (SD))

3.9 (4.5)

5.5 (6.9)

P = 0.090 ~

Body mass index (kg/m²) (mean (SD))

21.2 (3.0)

22.0 (2.5)

P = 0.001 ~

Hours of practicing the main musical instrument in one week (mean (SD))

20.7 (8.7)

Experience (number of years playing the main musical instrument) (mean (SD))

13.0 (3.3)

Hand preference (%)

Right: 71 (85.5%) Left: 12 (14.5%)

Right: 433 (87.7%) Left: 61 (12.3%)

P = 0.593 *