title: Immediate effects of Tuina techniques on working-related musculoskeletal disorder of professional orchestra musicians.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: University of Porto, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, 4099-030 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cláudia Maria
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Jean Piaget Health Superior School, 4405-708 Gaia, Portugal.|Research in Education and Community Intervention - RECI, 3515-776 Viseu, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Porto Polytechnic Institute, Superior School of Music and PerformingArts, i2ads, 4000-035 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coimbra
authors.affiliation: University of Porto, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, 4099-030 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: University of Porto, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, 4099-030 Porto, Portugal.|German Society of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany.|Heidelberg School of Chinese Medicine, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Greten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009146:Music; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires