The Portuguese version of the musculoskeletal pain intensity and interference questionnaire for musicians (MPIIQM-Pt): Translation, cultural adaptation, and multicenter validation study in professional orchestra musicians.

OBJECTIVES: We aim to assess the validity and reliability of the Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for Musicians (MPIIQM) and to add to its cross-cultural adaptation process by translating, culturally adapting, and validating the MPIIQM into European Portuguese language in the population of Portuguese musicians. METHODS: A Portuguese version of the MPIIQM (MPIIQM-Pt) was created through a process of forward and back translation, pilot testing, and cultural adaptation by expert panel evaluation. The psychometric evaluation was performed in a validation sample of 134 musicians, at baseline and after 7 days. RESULTS: The high degree of internal consistency and the substantial test-retest reliability coefficients were demonstrated for each subscale (α = 0.896 and ICC = 0.997 for "pain intensity," and α = 0.879 and ICC = 0.999 for "pain interference," respectively). Exploratory factor analysis indicated two-factor structure (pain intensity and interference) that explained 75.5% of the variance. Both convergent and divergent validity are well demonstrated, confirming more than 90% of the previously defined hypotheses regarding correlations with other measures. DISCUSSION: MPIIQM-Pt is the first validated questionnaire to evaluate pain among Portuguese musicians. It showed excellent psychometric properties, both in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, factor analysis, and construct validity. Therefore, it is a valid and reliable tool suitable for both research and clinical practice purposes. MPIIQM-Pt will allow the development of more robust studies on pain among musicians and the improved assessment and monitoring of pain in this population, filling an important gap in this field of Pain Medicine.

Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory: Contribution for the Portuguese Validation.

(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to contribute to the validation of the Portuguese version of the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI) and to study its psychometric properties. (2) Methods: A sample of 164 undergraduate music students in Portugal (62.2% female; mean age = 22.63; SD = 4.36) completed an online survey composed of the K-MPAI Portuguese version, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The K-MPAI psychometric properties were examined using exploratory factor analyses, known-group differences, and Cronbach's alpha. (3) Results: A four-factor structure was identified, in line with recent validation of this measure in other countries: music performance anxiety-related symptoms, depression and hopelessness, parental support, and memory self-efficacy. Concurrent and known-group validity were established, and reliability scores were appropriate for the dimensions and total score. (4) Conclusions: The results provide initial evidence of the appropriateness of the Portuguese version of the K-MPAI.

Playing-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders of Professional Orchestra Musicians from the North of Portugal: Comparing String and Wind Musicians.

INTRODUCTION: It is well known that musicians are a group prone to suffer from playing-related musculoskeletal disorders. Professional orchestra musicians play for several hours a week and have to fight against pain caused by their profession. The aim of this study was to explore and describe self-reported complaints among professional orchestra musicians and to compare its intensity and the prevalence between string and wind instruments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hundred and twelve professional orchestra musicians from the three main professional orchestras from the North of Portugal were individually interviewed about the prevalence and the intensity (measured by verbal numerical scale for pain) of their playing-related musculoskeletal disorders. RESULTS: About two third (62.5%) of the interviewed musicians presented playing-related musculoskeletal disorders during the time of the interview. Despite there are no significant statistic values between groups, results suggested that playing-related musculoskeletal disorders are more common in string players and more intense in wind players. DISCUSSION: Referring to the prevalence of playing-related musculoskeletal disorders, our data is in line with other studies from different countries. More than half of professional orchestra musicians in the North of Portugal are playing with a mild to moderate pain. CONCLUSION: Future studies focusing on working-related problems among professional orchestra musicians in Portugal would be useful to better describe the problem of occupational diseases among performing artist.

Introdução: A literatura estabelece claramente que os músicos são um grupo com elevado risco de desenvolvimento de lesões músculoesqueléticas relacionadas com o trabalho. Os músicos profissionais de orquestra trabalham semanalmente durante várias horas e deparam-se frequentemente com a dor como consequência da sua profissão. O presente estudo pretende descrever a prevalência e a severidade das lesões músculoesqueléticas relacionadas com o trabalho que afetam os músicos de orquestras profissionais do Norte de Portugal, comparando instrumentistas de cordas e de sopros. Material e Métodos: Cento e doze músicos das três orquestras profissionais do Norte de Portugal foram entrevistados individualmente de forma a determinar a prevalência e a intensidade da dor (medida pela escala verbal numérica de dor) das suas lesões músculoesqueléticas relacionadas com o trabalho. Resultados: Aproximadamente dois terços (62,5%) dos músicos entrevistados apresentaram lesões músculoesqueléticas relacionadas com o trabalho durante a entrevista. Apesar de não se verificarem diferenças estatisticamente significativas, os resultados obtidos sugerem que as lesões músculoesqueléticas relacionadas com o trabalho são mais frequentes nos instrumentistas de cordas e mais intensas nos instrumentistas de sopro. Discussão: Os resultados referentes à prevalência de lesões músculoesqueléticas relacionadas com o trabalho são similares a resultados de outros estudos realizados em diferentes países. Mais da metade dos músicos de orquestras profissional no Norte de Portugal apresentam diariamente dor leve a moderada. Conclusão: Verifica-se a necessidade de realização de investigações futuras com o objetivo de estudar com maior profundidade os problemas profissionais que afetam os músicos em Portugal.

Occupational Diseases of Professional Orchestra Musicians from Northern Portugal: A Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: Owing to repetitive movements and a very stressful and competitive lifestyle, musicians are a group that may be prone to suffer from occupational diseases. According to the literature, musicians are affected mainly by two types of occupational diseases: music performance anxiety (MPA) and playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMDs). The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of the most common complaints affecting musicians in the three professional orchestras from northern Portugal. METHODS: Professional orchestra musicians (n=112) from the three main professional orchestras from northern Portugal were individually interviewed about their physical and psychological complaints. RESULTS: Results indicated that 94% of musicians interviewed self-reported at least one working-related problem. PRMDs were the most common conditions, affecting 84.8% of musicians. The most affected areas were the shoulder and the cervical and lumbar regions. MPA was reported by 13.2% of musicians. CONCLUSION: The present work covers about 50% of all Portuguese professional orchestra musicians. It raises awareness of the importance of focusing on the high prevalence of professional diseases among musicians.

Effects of self-administered exercises based on Tuina techniques on musculoskeletal disorders of professional orchestra musicians: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Musicians are frequently affected by playing-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD). Common solutions used by Western medicine to treat musculoskeletal pain include rehabilitation programs and drugs, but their results are sometimes disappointing. OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of self-administered exercises based on Tuina techniques on the pain intensity caused by PRMD of professional orchestra musicians, using numeric visual scale (NVS). DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: We performed a prospective, controlled, single-blinded, randomized study with musicians suffering from PRMD. Participating musicians were randomly distributed into the experimental (n=39) and the control (n=30) groups. After an individual diagnostic assessment, specific Tuina self-administered exercises were developed and taught to the participants. Musicians were instructed to repeat the exercises every day for 3 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain intensity was measured by NVS before the intervention and after 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 d of treatment. The procedure was the same for the control group, however the Tuina exercises were executed in points away from the commonly-used acupuncture points. RESULTS: In the treatment group, but not the control group, pain intensity was significantly reduced on days 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20. CONCLUSION: The results obtained are consistent with the hypothesis that self-administered exercises based on Tuina techniques could help professional musicians controlling the pain caused by PRMD. Although our results are very promising, further studies are needed employing a larger sample size and double blinding designs.

Immediate effects of Tuina techniques on working-related musculoskeletal disorder of professional orchestra musicians.

BACKGROUND: Musicians are a prone group to suffer from working-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMD). Conventional solutions to control musculoskeletal pain include pharmacological treatment and rehabilitation programs but their efficiency is sometimes disappointing. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this research is to study the immediate effects of Tuina techniques on WRMD of professional orchestra musicians from the north of Portugal. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS: We performed a prospective, controlled, single-blinded, randomized study. Professional orchestra musicians with a diagnosis of WRMD were randomly distributed into the experimental group (n=39) and the control group (n=30). During an individual interview, Chinese diagnosis took place and treatment points were chosen. Real acupoints were treated by Tuina techniques into the experimental group and non-specific skin points were treated into the control group. Pain was measured by verbal numerical scale before and immediately after intervention. RESULTS: After one treatment session, pain was reduced in 91.8% of the cases for the experimental group and 7.9% for the control group. CONCLUSION: Although results showed that Tuina techniques are effectively reducing WRMD in professional orchestra musicians of the north of Portugal, further investigations with stronger measurements, double-blinding designs and bigger simple sizes are needed.