R. Andias1, A. Silva2
1Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal, 2Universidade de Aveiro, School of Health Sciences, Aveiro, Portugal
Background: Chronic musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common complaints affecting up to 40% of children and adolescents and is associated with limitations in daily living activities, including those related to school and family. Some studies in adolescents have suggested that anthropometric and psychosocial factors, such as depression, emotional problems, and mental distress, may increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal pain in the long term. However, studies that simultaneously compare these factors or include other plausibly relevant factors such as sleep impairments, fear of movement or central sensitization are scarce.
Purpose: This study aims to explore whether:
i) sociodemographic characteristics,
ii) physical activity,
iii) psychosocial factors,
iv) sleep, and
v) central sensitization in asymptomatic adolescents at baseline are associated with the reporting of chronic musculoskeletal pain at 6 months follow-up.
i) sociodemographic characteristics,
ii) physical activity,
iii) psychosocial factors,
iv) sleep, and
v) central sensitization in asymptomatic adolescents at baseline are associated with the reporting of chronic musculoskeletal pain at 6 months follow-up.
Methods: 252 adolescents without any pain complaint in the previous 3 months and who attended the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades from 4 Portuguese high schools completed an online questionnaire at baseline, including sociodemographic data, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, International Questionnaire of Physical Activity, Functional Disability Inventory, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, Basic Scale on Insomnia Complaints and Quality of Sleep, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, Child Self-Efficacy Scale and Central Sensitization Inventory. The same adolescents repeated the questionnaire 6 months later. At 6 months follow-up adolescents were divided into those who remained without pain (no pain group) and those who did not have pain at baseline but reported pain in the last 3 months (group with chronic pain). Univariable and multivariable regression analysis, with the pain/no pain as the dependent variable were conducted.
Results: Of the 252 adolescents at baseline, 88 reported pain at 6 months follow up. In the multivariable model, being female (OR=2.34; CI95%=1.28-4.27; p<0.05) and reporting symptoms of central sensitization (OR=1.04; CI95%=1.01-1.07; p<0.05) at baseline were predictors of reporting chronic musculoskeletal pain at 6-months follow-up. No further significant associations were found.
Conclusion(s): These findings suggest that careful attention should be paid to the assessment of symptoms of central sensitization in asymptomatic adolescents as they seem to be associated with the reporting of pain at 6 months follow up.
Implications: Results suggest that symptoms of central sensitization may help identified adolescents at risks of developing musculoskeletal pain. Future studies should further explore the association found and the value of targeting symptoms of central sensitization as a means to prevent chronic musculoskeletal pain. School-based interventions, reach a higher number of adolescents and may enhance the long-term prevention of musculoskeletal pain.
Funding, acknowledgements: This work is part of a PhD scholarship from the Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BD/119528/2016), Portugal.
Keywords: Neck pain, Adolescents
Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: University of Aveiro
Committee: The Ethics Council of University of Aveiro
Ethics number: 19/2018
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
