A New Instrument for Assessing Work-Related Body Mechanics and Strain in the General Population

Sonia Sharma; Peter M Nilsson; Per-Olof Östergren; Birgitta Häggman-Henrikson; Thomas List; Michael A Kallen

doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2022.09.011

A New Instrument for Assessing Work-Related Body Mechanics and Strain in the General Population

J Pain. 2023 Feb;24(2):237-250. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.09.011. Epub 2022 Oct 8.

Authors

Sonia Sharma¹, Peter M Nilsson², Per-Olof Östergren³, Birgitta Häggman-Henrikson⁴, Thomas List⁵, Michael A Kallen⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York; Department of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden. Electronic address: sonia_sharma@urmc.rochester.edu.
² Department of Clinical Sciences, Research Group Internal Medicine - Epidemiology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden; Strategic Research Area EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
³ Strategic Research Area EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Division of Social Medicine and Global Health, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
⁴ Department of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden; Department of Odontology, Clinical Oral Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden; Skåne University Hospital, Specialized Pain Rehabilitation, Lund, Sweden.
⁶ Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.

PMID: 36216127
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.09.011

Abstract

Clinical pain is often linked to poor body mechanics, with individuals sometimes presenting multiple painful disorders. Such disorders may be influenced by behaviors that affect the general resiliency and health of the musculoskeletal system. We aimed to develop a self-reported scale using the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study questions on work-related body mechanical exposures. An expert panel identified 41 variables having content validity for musculoskeletal problems. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on a random selection of 50% of the cohort (n = 6,789 adults); the remaining was reserved for confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), item response theory (IRT) item calibration, and differential item functioning investigations. Supported by standard measure development methods and fit criteria, the final unidimensional item bank contains 13 items. Overall CFA statistics (root mean square error of approximation = .09; comparative fit index = .96; Tucker-Lewis index = .96; standardized root mean residuals = .05) indicated excellent single-factor model fit and appropriateness of IRT modeling and calibration. Expert review and item information values (score-precision) guided selection of an 8-item short form with acceptable score-level reliabilities (≥.70) for T-scores = 39-80+. This measure provides reliable assessment of body mechanics strain in adults and can be useful when evaluating different contributions to musculoskeletal problems affecting pain-treatment success in future clinical research. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents the development and psychometric properties of a new measure, "Work-related Body Mechanics and Strain Scale (WR-BMSS)." The scale has 13-items or alternatively an 8-item short form. This measure could potentially help clinicians who seek to assess how musculoskeletal problems may contribute to patient pain and disability.

Keywords: Body mechanics; Factor analysis; Psychometrics; Strain; Work-place limitation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Disabled Persons*
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Humans
Pain
Psychometrics / methods
Reproducibility of Results
Self Report
Surveys and Questionnaires