Neck pain and low back are critical public health problems. The 3-month US prevalence of back and/or neckpain was 31% (low back pain: 34 million, neck pain: 9 million, both back and neck pain: 19 million). Generally, adults with low back and/or neck pain reported more comorbid conditions, exhibited more psychological distress (including serious mental illness), and engaged in more risky health behaviors than adults without either condition1.
The age-standardized one-month period prevalence of neck and upper limb pain was 44%. There were significant independent associations between neck and upper limb pain and repeated lifting of heavy objects; prolonged bending of neck; working with arms at/above shoulder height; little job control; and little supervisor support2.
In a study on older adults ages between 70-79, it was found that the correlates of both neck and shoulder painwere female gender, no education beyond high school, poorer self-rated health, depressive symptomatology and a medical history of arthritis, heart attack and angina. Increasing severity of both neck and shoulder painwas associated with an increased prevalence of joint pain at other body sites and with poor functional capacity. Measures of physical performance involving the upper extremity were also decreased3.
Independent of traumatic or non-traumatic origin of the symptoms, the prevalence of chronic low back pain is 3 times higher in individuals with chronic neck pain than in the general population. Causes other than a history of neck trauma, such as chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes, may be important in evaluation of these cases.
The restriction of total neck movement serves as a marker of severity of neck disorders. Women are more likely than men to develop neck pain; more likely to suffer from persistent neck problems and less likely to experience resolution. Neck pain is a disabling condition with a course marked by periods of remission and exacerbation and most individuals with neck pain do not experience complete resolution of their symptoms and disability4.
1. Strine TW. Hootman JM. US national prevalence and correlates of low back and neck pain among adults.Arthritis & Rheumatism. 57(4):656-65, 2007.
2. Sim J. Lacey RJ. Lewis M. The impact of workplace risk factors on the occurrence of neck and upper limb pain: a general population study. BMC Public Health. 6:234, 2006.
3. Newman AB. Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. Neck and shoulder pain in 70- to 79-year-old men and women: findings from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study. Spine 3(6):435-41, 2003.
4. Cote P. Cassidy JD. Carroll LJ. Kristman V. The annual incidence and course of neck pain in the general population: a population-based cohort study. Pain. 112(3):267-73, 2004 Dec.