Research: Drum Corps Activity's Effects on Body Systems

[scheherazadesghost]

Hi DCP! As part of my education to become a licensed massage therapist, I just completed a research assignment I thought would be helpful for the community. I welcome discussion and sharing. Special thanks to DCPers who shared Kaitlyn Colyer's research, as it proved quintessential in helping me adequately describe our activity to outsiders and bolster my efforts.

Final Report on Drum Corps Activity’s Effects on Body Systems 

Description of Activities and Environment 

The ability to describe the niche activity of drum corps to lay people has proved elusive for decades. In her recent paper about misconduct in the activity, Kaitlyn Colyer describes it “colloquially as ‘marching band on steroids,’ […] a summer activity for participants [primarily] in their teens and early twenties. Over a period of eighty-five days [in the summer], students and a faculty of designers and instructional staff create a twelve-minute, high-intensity marching band style show and perform it for thousands of fans on a cross-country tour” (2.) 

The physical demands of this activity rival those of Olympians. According to Owaves, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman’s daily schedule included 7-8 hours of practice, bifurcated by adequate rest and recuperation time (What I learned: Over 50 olympic athletes' daily routines...) Like the demands placed on Raisman’s body, drum corps performers can burn thousands of calories daily, especially during the spring training period called “move-ins,” during which “performers rehearse in three 4 or 5-hour blocks, with one-hour meal breaks between each” (Colyer 18.) After the move-ins period, performers practice for 6-8 hours rehearsal days, making time for shows or travel. 

Some corps are known for resting their members adequately and often. Others however, like the one the author of this report marched, are historically known for pushing their members with limited rest and floor time. The author hopes that this aspect of drum corps has improved drastically and firmly believes that no performance or show is worth the health and wellbeing of young performers. Colyer describes one situation they observed in which a bus broke down on tour. She found that some of the performers had pulled their sleeping gear from the bus and were sleeping in the parking lot next to the bus and had been there for two hours. It is unclear whether these members were provided adequate floor time to offset this unfortunate event. "For the most part, the housing is in high schools. Students shower in high school locker rooms and sleep on air mattresses in the high school gyms” (Colyer 19.) 

Providing food for these travelling productions is an incredibly arduous undertaking that, historically, was managed by volunteers. Fortunately, many corps have upgraded this endeavor to be conducted by qualified chefs. According to Colyer, “corps own giant food trucks and hire food managers to create buffet-style meals for the 165 members of a drum corps and approximately 40-60 instructional staff members, administrative staff members, and volunteers” (Colyer 19.) There is also emerging anecdotal evidence on provided by anonymous Reddit.com users indicating that while dietary restrictions are beginning to be honored by food staffs, there is still contention and challenges to doing so. This author remains concerned that many of their own dietary issues arose from their time in drum corps and hopes that corps continue to improve in this area. 

The purpose of Colyer’s paper is to outline misconduct in the activity, and points out the following concerns about the culture of the activity: nationalistic/militaristic values, absolute compliance and social isolation, and unclear legal liability. These aspects of the activity, which are affirmed by this author’s experiences, have made for extremely hostile environments historically for performers and staff. Unfortunately, only when a legacy leader in the activity was taken to court over sexual misconduct in 2018 did the industry leadership begin to take a closer look at member safeguarding. Based on this author’s observations of the activity as it presents through social media, member safeguarding is taken seriously, and leadership are taking small but important steps towards improvement. 

Due to the author’s lived experience, this paper will focus primarily on the colorguard section of corps. Unfortunately, there is sparse research on the American legacy called colorguard; therefor, the Wikipedia definition is provided here: “Color guards or flag corps are teams of performers who perform choreographed dances and routines with various equipment to enhance and interpret the music of a marching band or drum and bugle corps show” (Color Guard (flag spinning)). The other sections, including the horn players and percussionists, have unique challenges as well and are equally worthy of in-depth research and analysis. Fortunately, due their proximity to colleges of music, horn players and percussionists tend to have the support of adjacent academic institutions. In contrast, colorguards lack such proximity or relevance in academia. 

How the Body Systems Are Affected by Drum Corps 

Connective Tissue and Hydration 

One aspect of drum corps that has been almost universally observed by this author is access and encouragement to drink water and keep hydrated. Performers are required to have a one-gallon water jug at all rehearsals from their first audition. While access to quality water and regular cleaning may have been problematic while this author marched, one would hope that these issues have improved. Hydration is crucial to help performers maintain healthy ground substance under extremely physically stressful conditions. It specifically helps prevent connective tissue fibers from sticking to each other and causing adhesions. This author has retained adhesions directly related to their time in colorguard and has been told several stories of alumni with similar concerns. 

Integumentary System and Sun Exposure 

There is no avoiding long hours exposed to the summer sun in drum corps. This author wore sunscreen during move-ins only, as their skin had enough melanin to provide a very dark, natural tan. Many lighter-skinned performers do not have that advantage. However, this author recalls regularly sunburning their corneas so bad and could not see without contacts, that they could only endure the summers with a baseball cap and costly, quality sunglasses. Coyler similarly references a quintessential writer about drum corps: “’You’re working hard. You’re suffering. It’s like being in the Army. You’re up at the crack of dawn. Sun poisoning. You’re almost killing yourself to be the best you can be’ (Nadolny 2018)” (35.) 

Performers and staff can take extra precautions to protect themselves from sunburn and hasten recovery if sunburn does occur. Knowing the differences between, and symptoms of first-, second-, and third-degree burns could help performers get the appropriate rest or emergency care they need in worst-case scenarios. It is especially crucial for everyone to know their Fitzpatrick's Skin Phototypes, medications or treatments that contraindicate the extreme sun exposure necessary for drum corps schedules, and elevations or locations that increase the risk of sunburn (Guerra and Crane; Sunburn.) 

Skeletal System Injuries 

For colorguard performers, the upper appendicular skeleton and especially the carpals, metacarpals and phalanges are at extreme risk of injury. The author retains unique unilateral injuries on both sides of their appendicular skeleton. Colorguard performers always wear protective, fingerless, leather gloves when performing that are ideally exchanged regularly to prevent injury caused by wear-and-tear to the material. These gloves provide minimal protection from metal or wooden flag poles; steel, unsharpened sabers; and wooden, non-functional rifles. While most choreography for these pieces of equipment occur in the hands, audiences are mostly “wowed” by very high tosses with unique tricks and challenging catches. While performers present extreme feats of human agility every season, injuries resulting from “drops” and miscalculations from the wind affect not only endanger their bodies by way of concussion, but those of their fellow non-colorguard performers as well. Superficial injuries are also common. Breaks in the skeletal system are not common, however, sprains and strains to joints are. 

This is especially important that drum corps take steps to safeguard performers’ skeletal systems. This is because “up to 90 percent of peak bone mass is acquired by age 18 in girls and age 20 in boys, which makes youth the best time for your kids to ‘invest’ in their bone health” (Kids and their bones: A guide for parents.) While many rehearsals are conducted on grass or artificial turf stadiums, many more still occur on cement and linoleum. Much of the choreographic style performed by colorguard members is grounded in Western European dance traditions. In contemporary dance settings from this tradition, it is universally known that dancing on surfaces that do not absorb the pressure from jumps and landings in choreography can lead to injury. In their Safe Dance® fact sheets, Ausdance states this common knowledge thusly: 

 The floors that you dance on need to be sprung, semi-sprung or cushioned, and, if possible, specifically designed for dance. Even in the short-term, dancing or exercising on concrete floors will potentially cause injury, pain and irreversible damage to not only your feet and legs, but your entire body. 

Corps can easily navigate this peril if they remain nimble and responsive to the constant change of rehearsal and performance sites. Some options include limiting choreography that includes jumps, lifts and falls or possibly, providing performers with ways to “mark” or reduce the impact of the movement in rehearsal by replacing impacts with standing extensions. Performers can return to full, original choreography when rehearsals and performance sites allow them to safely do so. 

Muscular System, Fatigue and Oxygen Debt 

Due to extreme demands placed on performers’ muscular skeletons, this author believes that muscle fatigue and oxygen debt are highly probable in performers as described in our class Applied Anatomy and Physiology for Manual Therapists (129.) In it, the authors list specific contributors to muscle fatigue: lack of oxygen, decreases in calcium or other nutrients essential to muscle contraction, as well as lactic acid or ADP buildup, and insufficient release of neurotransmitters from motor neurons. Any of these factors are possible in the daily throws of a drum corps summer day. Unfortunately, oxygen debt can be equally problematic. One solution to reduce the effects of oxygen debt would be to encourage and enable performers to adopt a regular, consistent breathing practice. While it would support the safeguarding of all members, horn players, whose instruments are powered by breathing, would stand to benefit greatly from such practices. 

Nervous System and Pain 

Based on this author’s lived experience and in those who have shared there’s anonymously on reddit, injuries are common among performers and often minimized or dismissed altogether (R/drumcorps - your drum corps injuries.) This is further contextualized by Colyer who ties the industry’s denial of pain and injury to larger patterns of misconduct. This author extends this further yet to hypothesize that the ultimate result of denying pain and injuries is the denial of interoception as described by Archer and Nelson (206.)  

Thus, it behooves drum corps wellness staffs to focus intensely on how pain manifests in performers. There is plenty of information available regarding the steps needed to translate stimulus into perception of pain, pain theories, types of pain, and self-applied pain management techniques (Archer and Nelson 206-210.) Some strategies that this author has found helpful include the use of props like stretchy bands, tennis balls, and ayurvedic oils to stretch and massage tender muscles. Because injuries from drum corps have the potential to last a lifetime, self-applied pain management techniques should be a primary focus for wellness teams. 

Neuromuscular/Myofascial System: Deep Horizontal Fascial Planes 

This author, along with colleagues who performed in the percussion section on cymbals, have reported chronic pain in what Archer and Nelson refer to as the deep horizontal fascial plane (226.) Many of the movements that performers in colorguard and cymbal sections repeat ad nauseam involve weighted, quick movements of the upper appendicular body. Even twenty years later, this author is still parsing through the many injuries they sustained to this part of their body as well as to the neck and across the lower lumbar, pelvis and iliofemoral joints (also a deep horizontal fascial line.) Archer and Nelson state that “tension or restrictions [in these areas] have profound effects on the structures they support and connect” including the subclavian artery and brachial plexus. 

Bartenieff Fundamentals describes a concept that may prove helpful in choreographing for both sections called the exertion-recuperation cycle. “Exertion/Recuperation speaks to the rhythms and phrasing of movements, that, similar to the rhythms of breath, may be said to create a ‘dance’ between muscular tension and release” (Burton.) This theory could be further extended to encourage staff to schedule more floor time, rest, and recuperation. Additionally, there are numerous contemporary dance techniques whose main focuses are using the momentum of released muscles to generate safer movement including Skinner Releasing Technique and Klien Technique that can be leveraged. 

Endocrine System: Types of Stress, Responses and Exhaustion 

Given the demand of this activity, this author firmly believes that members are at risk for experiencing stress responses, specifically distress, described by Archer and Nelson as “anything that angers or frustrates us or drains our strength, stamina or creativity.” Yet corps indicate in their non-profit missions that their aim is to provide young people experiences that more closely resemble eustress, or a positive version of stress that can be encouraging and improve productivity (258.)  

In worst-case scenarios these stress responses can escalate into alarm responses, resistance reactions or exhaustion. The alarm response is a shorter-lived process of the sympathetic nervous system that spur specific physiological changes that “ensure the body can respond quickly once the determination is made to fight or flee the stressor at hand” according to Archer and Nelson (260.) The authors further describe the visceral responses as decreased digestion and kidney function and that shock can be an extreme version of the alarm response. 

The resistance reaction is a result of extended exposure to stressors and occurs within the endocrine system, specifically the adrenal and pituitary glands and the hypothalamus. This extended exposure to stressors can lead to extended production of cortisol which is detrimental (Archer and Nelson 260.) Further, the authors state that it can also lead to allostasis which can negatively impact mood, sleep, metabolism, digestion, susceptibility to injury and ultimately, exhaustion. 

Cardiovascular System and Injury Recovery 

The cardiovascular system plays a central role in injury response and recovery. This author firmly believes that our society’s shift from the RICE protocol to the POLICE protocol is long overdue (Birt.) The “protection” part of POLICE is new and provides the cardiovascular system time to enter the inflammatory stage of recovery effectively, including the protective response called muscle splinting, primary and secondary edema formation and hematoma organization as described by Archer and Nelson (290.) 

“Optimal Loading” in POLICE replaces rest altogether and is an umbrella term for creating protocols unique to each injury that “consider intensity, frequency, magnitude, the direction and duration of loading with this phase to optimally load the injured area” (Birt.) When employing optimal loading, it is critical for the injured person to acknowledge which factors increase and decrease pain. Thus, it is equally as critical that corps do not diminish or dismiss the pain of injured members. This author has employed optimal loading across their life in the case of numerous injuries and found it to be incredibly important to healing. The remaining POLICE protocols are like RICE and include icing with specific rules, compression, and elevation. 

Lymphatic System and Swollen Feet During Travel 

A common aspect of traveling with drum corps is swollen lower limbs during and briefly after long bus rides between rehearsal and performance sites. While most sources attribute this to limited circulation, this author argues that the lymphatic system is also affected due to its proximity to and influence from the circulatory system. Further, the lymphatic system’s responsibility is to return capillary filtrate, including waste to the circulatory system for additional filtration and elimination from the body (Archer and Nelson 316.) 

Referred to as peripheral edema, swollen feet during extended sedentary travel are common and not a concern for most performers beyond the general discomfort it causes. Circumstances that increase the likelihood of peripheral edema that performers, staff and wellness teams should be aware of include injury to the lower limbs, consuming salty foods, in addition to the placement of feet during travel below the heart and remaining sedentary. The affected person should take swelling seriously in the case that they are predisposed to lymphedema, have a medical history of clotting, are pregnant or are smokers, or are taking oral birth control; these conditions predispose those affected to a serious condition called deep vein thrombosis (Texas Endovascular.) If signs of DVT are present, those affected should receive emergency care immediately. In most cases, swelling from travel should decrease with adequate floor time. 

The Mayo Clinic provides several methods for reducing common swelling in the lower extremities during travel including hydration; wearing loose clothing, stretching, extending, and elevating the feet and ankles when possible; avoiding crossing your legs; and avoiding substances that sedate you (Sheps.) These steps should be carefully followed in the case that a traveler is injured in their lower extremities, as the lymphatic system plays a special role in maintaining optimal fluid movement at injury sites. This author recalls traveling with one performer who had been nursing an ankle injury all season. The performer took the bus home after the season ended from Denver to California, kept the foot elevated and iced, despite the incredible swelling that presented. 

Respiratory System and Supporting Muscles 

Performers in the horn section would do well to take special care in researching how their respiratory systems are directly affected by the drum corps activity. More broadly, all performers use the musculature of their upper trunks and appendages nearly to exhaustion daily. Without special attention to this, stress and strain can negatively affect the musculoskeletal structure involved in breathing and other vital systems. It also behooves all performers to understand the mechanics of breathing, including which structures are involved in inhalation and exhalation. Effectively, the lungs and diaphragm do not initiate breathing, but rather are “along for the ride” initiated by intentionally or subconsciously contracting the pectoralis minor, serratus anterior, external intercostals, scalenes, and the sternocleidomastoid for inhalation. Exhalation, on the other hand, involves the relaxation of inhalation muscles and the contraction of the internal intercostal and rectus abdominis muscles, both of which aid in the playing of horn instruments (Archer and Nelson 348.) 

Digestive System and the Enteric Nervous System 

The drum corps industry has a checkered history in providing enough quality food for its performers. While this author was fortunate to march with a corps that is renowned for providing quality food, many other performers have not been so lucky. Indeed, this author has second-hand knowledge of The Troopers missing the mark as far back as 2004, in which a colleague teaching for them witnessed the corps feeding their members spoiled food and milk; the colleague and other staffers were left to purchase fast food for members from their own pockets. Sadly, in 2019, the same ensemble was blasted by four performers who reported inadequate medical care and food; unfortunately, the Troopers retaliated against them (Colyer 37.) Sadly, stories like this abound in the activity. 

The audacity of current Gen Z performers is benefiting them greatly in this regard. Unlike previous generations, these performers are much more willing to leave a group that doesn’t take good care of them than those of the past. To aid those ensembles who already feed their members well and those who want to improve, it is important to know the role of enteric nervous system [ENS] in digestion. According to Archer and Nelson, the ENS is the “brain of the gut” and “shares sensory information with the brain, where links between gut sensations, emotions, thoughts, and memories are developed. In fact, 90% of the time the ENS is doing the talking and the brain is doing the listening” (359.) Therefore, this author asserts that the digestive system is not only about providing crucial nutrients to the body, but is essential in maintaining overall wellbeing and mental health. 

Urinary System and Withholding Urination 

One saving grace for the drum corps activity is how consistently staffs push performers to drink water. This is virtually universal. Many also provide electrolyte supplementation at each meal. This author’s only concern is their historical experience with corps staff and member leadership requiring members to withhold access or permission to urine elimination. This can be due to distance from facilities, or, unfortunately, used as a tool to control and dominate members. THIS ANECDOTE OMITTED FROM POST FOR PRIVACY. This author also recalls being ridiculed for needing to urinate during one rehearsal because the staff required all bodies to be on the field; supposedly one missing performer for a brief period meant a ruined rehearsal. 

Repeated or prolonged withholding of the bladder can lead to weakened bladder muscles, incontinence, urinary tract infections, or kidney disfunction (Geisinger.) 

Conclusion 

The drum corps activity, as it has existed historically and currently, puts extreme demands on the still-developing bodies of the young performers who are their main customers. It behooves staffs to understand how each body system can be affected and to know the signs and symptoms that may indicate distress and disease. Doing so has so many benefits including: (1) meeting their nonprofit missions of provide eustress-ful experiences that build character and teamwork, and (2) helping their performers maintain optimal health which aids productivity, creativity, and teamwork.

Works Cited 

Archer, Patricia A., and Lisa A. Nelson. Applied Anatomy & Physiology for Manual Therapists, 2nd ed., Books of Discovery, 2021.  

Ausdance National. “Safe Dance Floors " Ausdance: Dance Advocacy.” Ausdance, Australian Dance Council-Ausdance Inc., 10 Feb. 2012, https://ausdance.org.au/articles/details/safe-dance-floors.  

Birt, James. “The Move from Rice to Police. What Does It Mean for Managing Acute Injuries?” Get Set Physio, Get Set Physio, 14 July 2021, https://www.getsetphysio.com.au/blogs/2021/7/8/the-move-from-rice-to-police-what-does-it-mean-for-managing-acute-injuries.  

Burton, Sara Jane. “The Value and Use of Laban Movement Analysis in Observation and Generation of Affective Movement.” White Papers, Living Architecture Systems Group, 2016, http://papers.cumincad.org/data/works/att/lasg_whitepapers_2016_092.pdf.  

“Color Guard (Flag Spinning).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Dec. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_guard_(flag_spinning).  

Coyler, Kaitlyn. Fitting to Form: A Study of Organizational Responsibility and Misconduct in Modern-Day Drum and Bugle Corps. University of Michigan, https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/orgstudies-assets/orgstudiesdocuments/oshonors/oshonorsthesis/Colyer%20Thesis%20only%20for%20posting.pdf. 

Guerra, Karly C.; Crane, Jonathan S. “Sunburn.” NCBI Bookshelf, National Center for Biotechnology Information, 28 Aug. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534837/. 

“Kids and Their Bones: A Guide for Parents.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/juvenile.  

“R/Drumcorps - Your Drum Corps Injuries.” Reddit, Aug. 2022, https://www.reddit.com/r/drumcorps/comments/wwxaj9/your_drum_corps_injuries/?sort=new.  

Sheps, M.D., Sheldon G. “Foot Swelling during Air Travel: A Concern?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 15 Oct. 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/edema/expert-answers/foot-swelling/faq-20057828.  

“Stop Holding It in! 4 Bodily Functions You Should Let Out.” Geisinger Health, 29 Mar. 2018, https://www.geisinger.org/health-and-wellness/wellness-articles/2018/03/29/21/13/stop-holding-it-in-4-bodily-functions-you-should-let-out. 

“Sunburn: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21858-sunburn. 

Texas Endovascular. “Check out 9 Reasons Why Your Feet Swell.” Texas Endovascular, 27 June 2022, https://texaseva.com/posts/vein-disease/9-reasons-why-your-feet-swell/.  

“What I Learned: Over 50 Olympic Athletes' Daily Routines...” Owaves.com, 21 June 2021, https://owaves.com/what-i-learned-from-researching-50-olympians/. 

Edited December 12, 2022 by scheherazadesghost
formatting and typo fixes

[IllianaLancerContra]

Golly.  
Lot of work here. 
This will take some time to digest.