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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03288688

Effect of an Exercise Program Designed for Orchestral Musicians

This study is a randomized clinical trial evaluating the effect of an exercise program designed specifically for orchestral musicians on performance-related musculoskeletal problems (PRMPs). Professional and conservatory-level orchestral musicians will be recruited. Half of the subjects will participate in an 11-week home exercise program and attend three group exercise sessions and an educational presentation on injury prevention, while the other half of the subjects will receive no intervention, and continue their usual activities.

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Key information

Conditions

Musculoskeletal Disorder Musculoskeletal Diseases

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

CIRRIS

Québec, Quebec, G1M 2S8, Canada

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • professional or freelance orchestral musician, or tertiary-level full-time music student majoring in an orchestral instrument
  • able to commit to performing exercises 2 times per week over an 11-week period
  • medical condition permitting participation in an exercise program (ie. no serious heart or lung condition that may be exacerbated by physical exertion)

Exclusion criteria

  • presence of musculoskeletal injuries definitively non-related to musical practice or performance
  • fewer than 15 hours per week playing their instrument
  • corticosteroid infiltration in the 6 weeks preceding recruitment
  • prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs or neurontin in the 3 weeks preceding recruitment

Treatment and study plan

Exercise program and education

Other

The exercise program comprises warm-ups, exercises and cool-downs and aims to improve recruitment, strength and endurance of postural muscle groups that are key to the work of a musician. Basic activation exercises progress to dynamic and resisted exercises as well as functional musical movements. There is a series of six exercises of increasing difficulty for each of the following bodily regions: hips, back, neck, shoulders and abdominals.

Topics to be discussed in the educational presentation and e-mails include healthy practice habits, activity dosage, the importance of physical activity, how the body adapts to workload and physical stressors, and instructions pertaining to the exercise program.

Primary outcomes

  1. The Musculoskeletal Pain Intensity and Interference Questionnaire for professional orchestra Musicians (MPIIQM)

    Time frame: Baseline-11 weeks

    A biopsychosocial self-report questionnaire used to obtain demographic and occupational information and to document the intensity and impact of performance-related musculoskeletal pain/problems

Secondary outcomes

  1. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ)

    Time frame: Baseline-11 weeks

    Self-report questionnaire on pain/symptom prevalence in the different regions of the body

  2. Global Rating of Change

    Time frame: 11 weeks

    Questionnaire designed to quantify participants' perceived improvement or deterioration over the course of the study

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Laval University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effect of an Exercise Program Designed for Professional Orchestral Musicians on Performance-related Musculoskeletal Problems - a Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2017
First posted
Sep 20, 2017
Registry last updated
Jun 12, 2018

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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