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Tsuboi Y1,2, Murata S1,2, Isa T1, Ebina A3, Kondo Y4, Torizawa K5, Fukuta A6, Matsuda N1, Okumura M1, Kawaharada R1, Melinda G1, Perrein E1, Ono R1
1Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Department of Community Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan, 2Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Research Fellowship for Young Scientists, Tokyo, Japan, 3Nishi-Kobe Medical Center, Department of Rehabilitation, Kobe, Japan, 4Takatsuki General Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation, Osaka, Japan, 5Yamauchi Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation, Gifu, Japan, 6Nagoya University Hospital, Department of Rehabilitation, Aichi, Japan
Background: Health promotion as early intervention for healthy working population is fundamental, because it could prevent people from being disabled in the future. Some studies showed that lower physical function predicts future disability. In the working population, musculoskeletal pain is prevalent problem, which could influence on physical function decline. Recent studies showed that multisite pain is more prevalent and troublesome than single-site pain. However, no studies have examined the effect of multisite pain on physical function decline in the healthy working population.
Purpose: We aimed to show the relationship between multisite musculoskeletal pain and physical function decline among working population.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 555 participants working in the electronic company in 2016. Of all, 455 participants without missing data were included for statistical analyses (mean age: 43.5 years old, male: 85.9%). Pain, perceived physical function decline and depressive symptom were measured using self-report questionnaire. We extracted the information on age, sex, BMI, lifestyle factors from health check-up database. The presence of pain and location of pain (neck, shoulder, arm, back, hip, knee, and foot) were assessed. The number of pain sites were summed up and categorized 0 as “no pain”, 1 as “single-site pain”, and 2 or more as “multisite pain.” To evaluate perceived physical function decline, we used self-report questionnaire named “Locomo 5”, which contains 5 questions about difficulty in walking, stairs, shopping, and housework. Each category ranges from 0 (no difficulty) to 4 (severely difficult), and total score range is 0 to 20. Due to skewed distribution, we categorized it into 3 groups; 0 score as “no difficulty”, 1 score as “slightly difficult”, 2 or more as “moderately difficult”. For the univariate and multivariate analyses, ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to test associations of multisite pain with perceived physical function decline. Confounders were demographic data (age, sex, BMI, work type, and education status), depressive symptom, lifestyle-related factors (exercise and smoking), and psychosocial factors. Proportional odds ratios (POR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated.
Results: 285 (62.6%) participants had multisite pain, and 75 (16.5%) participants had single-site pain. For physical function, 80 (17.6%) slightly felt difficulty, 96 (21.1%) moderately felt difficulty. In both the univariate and multivariate analyses, multisite pain was significantly associated with perceived physical function decline (unadjusted POR= 3.80, 95%CI=2.20-6.57; adjusted POR=2.72, 95%CI=1.53-4.84), but not single-site pain.
Conclusion(s): Multisite pain has significant association with perceived physical function decline even after adjustment. Longitudinal studies are warranted to clarify causal relationship.
Implications: Our study suggested that multisite pain might be important to improve physical function and prevent future disability in working population.
Keywords: Multisite pain, physical function, working population
Funding acknowledgements: Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellow.
Purpose: We aimed to show the relationship between multisite musculoskeletal pain and physical function decline among working population.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 555 participants working in the electronic company in 2016. Of all, 455 participants without missing data were included for statistical analyses (mean age: 43.5 years old, male: 85.9%). Pain, perceived physical function decline and depressive symptom were measured using self-report questionnaire. We extracted the information on age, sex, BMI, lifestyle factors from health check-up database. The presence of pain and location of pain (neck, shoulder, arm, back, hip, knee, and foot) were assessed. The number of pain sites were summed up and categorized 0 as “no pain”, 1 as “single-site pain”, and 2 or more as “multisite pain.” To evaluate perceived physical function decline, we used self-report questionnaire named “Locomo 5”, which contains 5 questions about difficulty in walking, stairs, shopping, and housework. Each category ranges from 0 (no difficulty) to 4 (severely difficult), and total score range is 0 to 20. Due to skewed distribution, we categorized it into 3 groups; 0 score as “no difficulty”, 1 score as “slightly difficult”, 2 or more as “moderately difficult”. For the univariate and multivariate analyses, ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed to test associations of multisite pain with perceived physical function decline. Confounders were demographic data (age, sex, BMI, work type, and education status), depressive symptom, lifestyle-related factors (exercise and smoking), and psychosocial factors. Proportional odds ratios (POR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were estimated.
Results: 285 (62.6%) participants had multisite pain, and 75 (16.5%) participants had single-site pain. For physical function, 80 (17.6%) slightly felt difficulty, 96 (21.1%) moderately felt difficulty. In both the univariate and multivariate analyses, multisite pain was significantly associated with perceived physical function decline (unadjusted POR= 3.80, 95%CI=2.20-6.57; adjusted POR=2.72, 95%CI=1.53-4.84), but not single-site pain.
Conclusion(s): Multisite pain has significant association with perceived physical function decline even after adjustment. Longitudinal studies are warranted to clarify causal relationship.
Implications: Our study suggested that multisite pain might be important to improve physical function and prevent future disability in working population.
Keywords: Multisite pain, physical function, working population
Funding acknowledgements: Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellow.
Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics; Occupational health & ergonomics; Musculoskeletal
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences
Ethics committee: the Ethics Committee
Ethics number: 488-2
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
