A 1-year follow-up study of 1756 third- and fifth-grade schoolchildren was conducted with a structured pain questionnaire to assess the prevalence and persistence of self-reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms and disability caused by pain. At follow-up, 1626 (92.7%) children participated in the study. Pain at least once a week persisted in 270 (52.4%) of the 564 children who reported musculoskeletal pain at least once a week in at least one part of the body at baseline. Of the regional pain symptoms, neck pain had highest persistence and, in girls, significantly more than in boys. Persistence of pain was not related to school grade. Widespread pain, determined as in the criteria for fibromyalgia, was found in 132 children (7.5%) and persisted in 35 children (29.7%, 95% CI 21.9-38.4) at follow-up. Disability was more severe in children with pain symptoms in more than one area. This study showed that about half of the preadolescents complaining of musculoskeletal pain at least once a week at baseline had persistent pain symptoms at follow-up. The prognosis of widespread pain in preadolescents was almost the same as the previous findings in adults.
Musculoskeletal pain is common in children but studies on the outcome and predictive factors for persistence/recurrence of these symptoms are scarce. A baseline cross-sectional survey of 1,756 schoolchildren (mean age 10.8) identified 564 (32.1%) children with musculoskeletal pain. At baseline, these children were evaluated using a structured questionnaire and examined for hypermobility and physical fitness. The children were re-evaluated after one year, and four years (at adolescence) using the same pain questionnaire. At 1-year follow-up, 53.8% (95% CI 48.8-58.8) of the children reported pain persistence (persistent preadolescent musculoskeletal pain). At 4-year follow-up, 63.5% (95% CI 58.7-68.1) of them had musculoskeletal pain. Neck was the site with most persistent/recurrent musculoskeletal pain. Those with persistent preadolescent musculoskeletal pain had approximately three times higher risk of pain recurrence (OR=2.90 [95% CI 1.9-4.4]). In the univariate analysis, female gender, older age group (11+), hypermobility, co-existence of psychosomatic symptoms, having high disability index, and reporting combined musculoskeletal pain at baseline predicted pain recurrence at adolescence. In the multivariate analysis, age, headache, hypermobility and having combined musculoskeletal pain were found as independent predictors. Statistically significant sex interactions were found for age, depressive feelings, waking up during nights and hypermobility. More psychosomatic symptoms predicted pain recurrence in girls than in boys, and hypermobility was a strong predictor in females only. Musculoskeletal pain in preadolescents is not a self-limiting phenomenon and more studies are still warranted to explore its determinants aiming to improve the long-term outcome of these symptoms.
The main finding was the sustained cold-induced stimulation of norepinephrine, which was remarkably similar between exposures. The frequent increase in norepinephrine might have a role in pain alleviation in whole-body cryotherapy and winter swimming.
Little is known about the epidemiology of widespread pain (WSP) in children and adolescents. This study aims to estimate the new-onset and prognosis of WSP in schoolchildren and investigate factors predicting its development. A prospective study was conducted among 1756 schoolchildren (age 10-12 years) in Southern Finland. At baseline, information was collected on WSP, regional musculoskeletal pain symptoms, depressiveness, fatigue, sleep problems, physical activity and joint hypermobility. These children were contacted again 1 year and 4 years later to determine the outcome and the new-onset of WSP. A total of 1282 children (73%) of the baseline study population were found at both follow-ups. Of the children who had WSP at baseline, 31% and 30% reported persistence/recurrence of symptoms at 1- and 4-year follow-up, respectively. However, only 10% of these children reported WSP at both 1 and 4 years. Of the children who were free of WSP at baseline, 18% reported new-onset WSP at 1-year follow-up and 3% reported these symptoms at both follow-up times. The independent baseline risk factors of WSP were older age (OR 1.3 95% CI 1.0-1.8), female gender (OR 1.4, 1.1-1.9), depressiveness (OR 1.5, 1.1-2.2) and regional back pain symptoms (Neck pain: OR 1.7, 1.1-2.4; Upper back pain: OR 2.1, 1.1-4.1; Lower back pain: OR 3.0, 1.6-5.7). Both psychological factors and somatic pain symptoms predict future development of WSP in adolescents.
Background: Musculoskeletal pain symptoms are common in children and adolescents. These symptoms have a negative impact on children's physical and emotional well-being, but their underlying aetiology and risk factors are still poorly understood. Most of the previous cohort studies were conducted among mid and/or late adolescents and were mainly focused on a specific pain location (e.g. low back pain or neck pain). The purpose of this study is to estimate occurrence of new-onset pain symptoms, in all musculoskeletal locations, in preteens and early adolescents and investigate risk factors for development of these symptoms.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.