Musculoskeletal pain combinations in adolescents

A 2-year follow-up in a birth cohort of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years.

To evaluate the prevalence of neck, shoulder, low back, peripheral (limb) pain, and combinations of pain at these anatomic locations.

Few previous studies have evaluated combinations of musculoskeletal pain among adolescents.

Prevalence of neck, shoulder, low back, and peripheral pain (elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle-foot pain) during the previous 6 months were obtained by questionnaire in a follow-up study of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 at 16 and 18 years of age (n = 1773). Latent class analysis was used in clustering of pain combinations at both time points.

No pain at all in the past 6 months at 16 and 18 years was reported by 17% and 8% of girls, and 33% and 24% of boys, respectively. Only 1 pain location (neck, shoulder, low back, or peripheral pain) was reported by 21% of girls and 25% of boys at 16, and 11% of girls and 20% of boys at 18 years, while all 4 pain locations were reported by 15% of girls and 9% of boys at 16, and 27% and 15%, respectively, at 18 years. Latent class analysis resulted in 2 to 3 pain clusters in both genders at both time points. Probability of pain increased during the 2-year follow-up, with subjects more likely to belong to a cluster with a higher likelihood of pain.

As very few adolescents did not report any pain, the relevance of self-reported pain is questionable without assessment of pain-related disability. The clinical relevance of these pain combinations must be evaluated in further studies.