Soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.

OBJECTIVES: To review the epidemiologic literature concerning the occurrence of and the risk factors for pain and specific soft-tissue rheumatic conditions that affect the neck and upper limbs. METHODS: An extensive search of the literature, including a search of Medline and EMBASE, authoritative r...

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Main Authors: Walker-Bone, K, Palmer, K, Reading, I, Cooper, C
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2003
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author Walker-Bone, K
Palmer, K
Reading, I
Cooper, C
author_facet Walker-Bone, K
Palmer, K
Reading, I
Cooper, C
author_sort Walker-Bone, K
collection OXFORD
description OBJECTIVES: To review the epidemiologic literature concerning the occurrence of and the risk factors for pain and specific soft-tissue rheumatic conditions that affect the neck and upper limbs. METHODS: An extensive search of the literature, including a search of Medline and EMBASE, authoritative recent reviews, and relevant textbooks, was performed. Studies that furnished data about the occurrence of or risk factors for regional pain or specific soft-tissue entities were extracted. RESULTS: Numerous epidemiologic studies among different populations suggest a high prevalence of pain in the neck (10% to 19%), shoulder (18% to 26%), elbow (8% to 12%), and wrist/hand (9% to 17%) at any point in time. Less clear is the proportion of pain caused by specific upper-limb disorders as compared with nonspecific pain; however, as many as 6% of adults may have carpal tunnel syndrome. Significant risk factors for these disorders include age, female gender, obesity, and association with mechanical exposures (eg, posture, force, repetition, vibration) in the workplace. Also implicated are psychologic well-being and psychosocial workplace factors such as high levels of demand, poor control, and poor support. CONCLUSION: Pain and soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb are common. It appears that individual, mechanical, and psychosocial factors all contribute to upper-limb disorders, suggesting that future strategies for prevention will need to address each of these factors if they are to be successful.
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spelling oxford-uuid:b0b7cb25-61c9-4418-8c15-2c018c3be1cd2022-03-27T03:58:23ZSoft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:b0b7cb25-61c9-4418-8c15-2c018c3be1cdEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2003Walker-Bone, KPalmer, KReading, ICooper, C OBJECTIVES: To review the epidemiologic literature concerning the occurrence of and the risk factors for pain and specific soft-tissue rheumatic conditions that affect the neck and upper limbs. METHODS: An extensive search of the literature, including a search of Medline and EMBASE, authoritative recent reviews, and relevant textbooks, was performed. Studies that furnished data about the occurrence of or risk factors for regional pain or specific soft-tissue entities were extracted. RESULTS: Numerous epidemiologic studies among different populations suggest a high prevalence of pain in the neck (10% to 19%), shoulder (18% to 26%), elbow (8% to 12%), and wrist/hand (9% to 17%) at any point in time. Less clear is the proportion of pain caused by specific upper-limb disorders as compared with nonspecific pain; however, as many as 6% of adults may have carpal tunnel syndrome. Significant risk factors for these disorders include age, female gender, obesity, and association with mechanical exposures (eg, posture, force, repetition, vibration) in the workplace. Also implicated are psychologic well-being and psychosocial workplace factors such as high levels of demand, poor control, and poor support. CONCLUSION: Pain and soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb are common. It appears that individual, mechanical, and psychosocial factors all contribute to upper-limb disorders, suggesting that future strategies for prevention will need to address each of these factors if they are to be successful.
spellingShingle Walker-Bone, K
Palmer, K
Reading, I
Cooper, C
Soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.
title Soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.
title_full Soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.
title_fullStr Soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.
title_full_unstemmed Soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.
title_short Soft-tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb: prevalence and risk factors.
title_sort soft tissue rheumatic disorders of the neck and upper limb prevalence and risk factors
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