A new study asserts that being in a top-level marching band can be just as tough on students as participation in a Division I athletic team. Gary Granata of PerformWell presented his findings at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual conference.
Granata surveyed marching band students from Avon (Ind.) High School, the reigning Bands of America Grand Nationals champions, about their physical wellness and injuries as related to band.
More than 95 percent of students polled reported sore or stiff muscles after practice, and more than 38 percent said they had suffered injuries on the field. A multitude of students also experienced tiredness, nausea, faintness and heat-related illness.
“I’m trying to educate the world of sports medicine that this is a population that’s been underserved,” Granata says. “And I’m trying to educate the marching band and drum corps world to know that they are a sport, so they need to start hiring people in sports medicine for training and conditioning. There’s a lack of info, a lack of research and a lack of resources.”
This summer, Granata will continue his research by studying top drum corps as they go on tour.
