Scales to assess the quality of life and return-to-sport after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) may help the clinical decision-making process. To cross-culturally adapt and determine the validity of the Brazilian versions of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI) and the Quality of Life Questionnaire (ACL-QoL). The process of translation and cross-cultural adaptation followed the recommendations of international guidelines. One hundred participants filled out the Brazilian versions of these instruments, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation Form, and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). The measurement properties of reliability, internal consistency and construct validity were measured. The ACL-RSI and the ACL-QoL were successfully translated and cross-culturally adapted. Both questionnaires showed good test-retest reliability (ICC2,1=0.78, 95% CI=0.67-0.85 for the ACL-RSI; and ICC2,1=0.84, 95% CI=0.76-0.90 for the ACL-QoL) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.87 for the ACL-RSI; and Cronbach's alpha=0.96 for the ACL-QoL). A reasonable correlation was found between both questionnaires and the TSK, and a low to reasonable correlation was found between the questionnaires and the SF-36 in terms of validity. Compared to the IKDC Subjective Knee Evaluation Form, the ACL-RSI had a reasonable correlation and the ACL-QoL had a good correlation. The Brazilian versions of the ACL-RSI and the ACL-QoL have adequate measurement properties and may be used in assessing Brazilians after ACL reconstruction.

This study aims to validate the Brazilian version of World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) for individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD), assessing its psychometric properties, including internal consistency, construct validity, and discriminant validity. In total, 100 female and male patients with TMD were included. Participants were assessed based on the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD). For statistical analyses, McDonald’s omega coefficient was used to assess internal consistency; Spearman correlation, for construct validity; Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple comparisons (Dunn method), for discriminant validity. The results of internal consistency for the WHODAS 2.0 domains ranged from 0.70 to 0.94. The WHODAS 2.0 showed a moderate and significant correlation with the disability points of the RDC/TMD and with the WHOQOL-BREF domains. In the discriminant validity, significant differences were found in all domains of WHODAS 2.0 between grade 0 and grade III, between grade I and grade III, and between grade II and grade III from the chronic pain grading of the RDC/TMD. The results demonstrate that the instrument is reliable and valid for measuring the functioning of individuals with TMD, presenting acceptable psychometric properties for internal consistency, as well as for construct validity and discriminant validity.

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is an important source of orofacial pain, which is associated with other symptoms. Due to the chronicity of the condition, self‐management strategies are often required. However, little is known about participants' perspectives on the overlapping symptoms and the strategies used to manage facial pain. Objective: This study aims to explore the perspectives of participants with TMD on the characteristics, beliefs and coping of associated symptoms and what their self‐management strategies are for facial pain. Methods: This was a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study. Thirty‐two individuals with an average age of 28.3 years diagnosed with TMD according to the DC/TMD were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify, organise and describe the data. Results: Five themes were identified: (1) associated symptoms experienced; (2) participant's beliefs; (3) identifying relationships between symptoms; (4) professional management strategies; and (5) daily coping strategies. Participants described their perspectives on headache, neck pain, tinnitus and other jaw symptoms (e.g., fatigue) and the negative interaction between them. Psychological, work‐related and mechanical factors appear among possible causes. The use of self‐medication and/or non‐pharmacological strategies was common for all symptoms, with little search for health professionals. The only exception was tinnitus, where the search for professionals was mentioned based on the fear of something more serious. Conclusion: Perceptions of associated symptoms and their additional impact, beliefs that can perpetuate chronic conditions and self‐management strategies obtained from an individual's perspective may help health professionals to provide more appropriate care for individuals with TMD.

Background: Considering the significant impact on quality of life and the chronic nature of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD), seeking healthcare is also part of the reality of individuals with this disorder. However, cultural differences and similarities in the experiences of individuals with TMD have not yet been investigated. This study aimed to describe and compare the experiences, beliefs, and sociocultural factors of Brazilian and Spanish individuals with TMD, focusing on their perceptions of the disorder, diagnostic pathways, information-seeking behaviors, and treatment expectations. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. A purposive sample of 50 participants (25 Brazilian, 25 Spanish), aged 18–50 and diagnosed with TMD according to DC/TMD criteria, was recruited. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Six themes emerged, revealing both similarities and differences between the groups. Brazilian participants reported uncertainty about which professional to consult and difficulty accessing specialized care. In contrast, Spanish participants frequently sought physical therapists as their first option and identified them as primary sources of information. Beliefs about TMD etiology varied across samples. Treatment expectations also differed. Brazilians emphasized the difficulty of obtaining effective care, while Spanish participants perceived physiotherapy as being limited to muscular disorders. Perceptions of occlusal splint effectiveness showed variation between the groups. Conclusions: These findings underscore the necessity of culturally sensitive approaches to patient care that address not only clinical aspects, but also the sociocultural context that influences health behaviors.

Background/Objectives: This study investigated the comorbidity between temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and migraine, distinguishing episodic migraine (EM) from chronic migraine (CM), and examined whether TMD presence in migraine patients is associated with more severe clinical or psychological features. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 120 participants was evaluated, including 40 headache-free controls, 40 EM patients, and 40 CM patients. Demographic and clinical information was obtained through structured interviews. Participants completed the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), State-Trait Depression Questionnaire (ST-DEP), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Prevalence ratios (PR) analyzed the association between TMD and migraine and between TMD and migraine subtypes. Among migraine patients, headache frequency, medication use, headache impact, anxiety/depression symptoms, and sleep quality were compared between those with and without TMD. Results: TMD was significantly more common in migraine patients compared to controls (78.8% vs. 20.0%; PR = 3.94; 95% CI: 2.10–7.40). CM patients also showed a higher TMD prevalence than EM patients (95.0% vs. 62.5%; PR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.18–1.95). Myalgia-related and mixed TMD were the most frequent subtypes. Migraine patients with TMD had increased headache frequency and higher acute medication intake compared to those without TMD. However, no significant differences were found in headache impact, anxiety, depression, or sleep quality between migraine patients with and without TMD. Conclusions: Patients with migraine are almost four times more likely to present with TMD than individuals without headache, with an even stronger association observed in CM. Although TMD is associated with a greater headache burden, our findings suggest that it may not be accompanied by poorer psychological or sleep outcomes.

IntroductionMusculoskeletal disorders in the cervical spine have been increasingly investigated and observed in patients with migraine. One of them is a poorer cervical muscle performance as assessed by the cranio-cervical flexion test (CCFT). In addition, patients with migraine have alterations in the recruitment of muscle motor units observed by surface electromyography during CCFT. ObjectiveThe aim was to verify if there are differences in the electrical activity and the clinical performance of superficial neck flexors and extensors during the CCFT in women with migraine considering the presence or absence of concomitant neck pain symptoms. MethodsA total of 100 women were assessed: 25 with migraine without neck pain, 25 with migraine and neck pain, 25 with mechanical neck pain and 25 pain-free control. Clinical and demographic data were collected, The CCFT was performed in all groups. The test assessed the deep flexors muscle by a pressure unit biofeedback placed in the posterior region of the neck and initially inflated to 20 mmHg composed by 5 stages, with increase pressure by 2 mmHg at each stage, reaching 30 mmHg, keeping the pressure for 10 seconds without resorting to compensation. Electromyography data were collected with TrignoTM Wireless System wireless surface sensors. The sensors were firmly attached bilaterally on: sternocleidomastoid (SCM); splenius capitis, anterior scalene and upper trapezius. Electromyographic activity evaluated during the CCFT was normalized by the average the root mean square (RMS) calculated for the reference voluntary contraction and expressed as a percentage. Groups comparisons were performed with non-parametric tests adopting a level of significance of 0.05. To analyze the between-groups differences on the proportion of clinical targeted performance stages reached by each participant within the CCFT, the chi-square (X2) test was calculated, and the data were submitted to a post-hoc proportion test. (To see the complete abstract, please, check out the PDF).