The aim of this research was to give insight into the perceived impact of psychosocial, environmental and cultural conditions on playing-related discomfort/pain among tertiary string students. Participants, including 40 Bachelor of Music string majors at a music institution in Australia, completed questionnaire/interviews twice yearly for the duration of their programme. This article focuses on stage two of the qualitative analysis which involved extracting themes from the 181 interview sessions. A hierarchical structure with four primary themes -- cultural beliefs, lack of control, self-efficacy, and stress/anxiety -- was created. The results showed that students in this research particularly struggled with aspects of self-efficacy that could have allowed them to achieve more positive outcomes in terms of health and wellbeing. The results suggest that students may need to further develop time management skills so that they are able to practice, work, and participate in leisure activities without hindering their physical and psychological health.