Medicine, Performing Arts, and Science--Dancing to the Same Tune

Abstract

A substantial period of time has been spent developing rigorous quantitative scientific approaches to inform medical practice (evidence-based practice). While this process has been important for many medical breakthroughs, and continues to play a critical role in medical and scientific research, it was felt to cause a medical shift away from the individual patient, as practitioners focussed more on the method of practice than the person themselves. However, following this period when a preponderance of attention was paid to quantitative studies, the tide has now turned back to integrating this knowledge with the clinical skills and expertise of medical practitioners. This is very important in the practice of performing arts medicine, whereby approaches to treating the performing artist using the most up-to-date scientific evidence need to be tempered with tailoring interventions to the particular demands of the individual within the context of their profession. Such integrated approaches to health and medical practice for performing artists have seen an increase in varied methodological strategies to understanding or managing the diverse range of health conditions that can affect performers. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research designs are allowing a greater range of approaches to find the best way to answer a research question.