B. Alves da Silva de Oliveira1,2, V. Souza Santos1,2, M. Nascimento Leite1,2, B. Isabel Aparecida Camargo3,2, C. de Melo do Espirito Santo1,2, L. Carlos Hespanhol Junior4,5,1, S. Kamper6,2,7, C. Maher8, T. Parma Yamato1,2,8
1Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID), Masters and Doctoral Programs in Physical Therapy, Universidade Cidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, 2Centre for Pain, Health and Lifestyle, Sydney, Australia, 3Universidade Cruzeiro do Sul, Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Program, São Paulo, Brazil, 4VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 5Amsterdam Movement Sciences, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 6Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, NSW, Australia, 7University of Sydney, School of Health Sciences, Sydney, Australia, 8University of Sydney, Institue for Musculoskeletal Health, School of Public Health, Sydney, Australia
Background: According to the Global Burden Disease, in early childhood (up to 14 years of age) the rate of years lived with disability is 3%, during adolescence and adulthood this rate increases to 16% and reaches 21% in old age. Recent evidence also indicates that the experience of persistent musculoskeletal pain during adolescence is a risk factor for chronic pain in adulthood. However, it does not have larger studies prevalence of disabling musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents in low and middle-income countries.
Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of disabling musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents in Sao Paulo state.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID) (CAAE: 18752219.0000.0064). Data was collected in public and private schools in the cities of Sao Paulo, Itu and Salto. The sample was constituted of 549 children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years, able to read and write in Brazilian-Portuguese and their respective parents and/or guardians. Only children and adolescents whose parents and/or guardians authorize participation through the Consent Form was included in the study.
Results: The sample consists of 326 boys (59.4%) and 223 girls (40.6%), the average age of 11.35 years (SD 6.36 years), 287 students (52%) reported not performing physical activity, 60 students had some type of medical diagnosis, of which 13 reported a diagnosis of neurological disease. The average body weight and height was 45.72 kg (SD 14.78 kg) and 151 cm (SD 14.68 cm), respectively.
Of the total sample, 64.12% reporting some musculoskeletal pain, with the average pain on the numerical pain scale (NRS) being 4.23 points (SD 2.56). The most affected body segments was lower limbs (42.05%) follow by back (38.35%), neck (19.32%) and upper limbs (12.78%). Disabling musculoskeletal pain rate was reported in 30% of children and adolescents, with 20.74% of students reported missing school due to pain, 27.27% reported that pain interfered with normal activities in the last month and 28.41% reported that pain interfered with recreational physical activities in the last month.
Of the total sample, 64.12% reporting some musculoskeletal pain, with the average pain on the numerical pain scale (NRS) being 4.23 points (SD 2.56). The most affected body segments was lower limbs (42.05%) follow by back (38.35%), neck (19.32%) and upper limbs (12.78%). Disabling musculoskeletal pain rate was reported in 30% of children and adolescents, with 20.74% of students reported missing school due to pain, 27.27% reported that pain interfered with normal activities in the last month and 28.41% reported that pain interfered with recreational physical activities in the last month.
Conclusion(s): Disabling musculoskeletal pain was high among children and adolescents in Sao Paulo state. The disabling associated with musculoskeletal pain was school absenteeism, interference in normal and recreational activities.
Implications: Understanding the prevalence rates of disabling musculoskeletal pain allows us understand the current scenario in the country, since population changes are faster in low and middle-income countries. After understand the overall scenario is possible create strategies to reduces the burden of disabling musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents.
Funding, acknowledgements: We would like to thank São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP-Brazil) for all financial support to conduct this study.
Keywords: disabling musculoskeletal pain, children, adolescents
Topic: Musculoskeletal
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID)
Committee: Research Ethics Committee of the Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (UNICID)
Ethics number: CAAE: 18752219.0000.0064
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
