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Does leisure time physical activity protect against shoulder pain at work?
R D'Onise1, E M Shanahan, T Gill
1Corporate Health Group, Mile End, Adelaide, Australia. rdonise@chg.net.au
Occupational Medicine (Oxford, England)
|May 11, 2010
Summary
Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) did not reduce shoulder pain prevalence in a working population. Factors like smoking, high BMI, and depression were associated with shoulder pain, suggesting they are better targets for prevention.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Shoulder pain is a prevalent issue affecting the workforce.
- Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) offers potential benefits for managing shoulder pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between LTPA and shoulder pain in a working population.
- To identify factors contributing to shoulder pain in employed individuals.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal population-based cohort study (North West Adelaide Health Study) was utilized.
- Data on LTPA, smoking, depression, socio-economic factors, BMI, and shoulder pain were collected via questionnaires and clinical measurements.
- Logistic regression analysis compared workers with and without shoulder pain.
Main Results:
- 16% of 1502 working participants reported current shoulder pain.
- Shoulder pain was significantly associated with older age, smoking, secondary education, high BMI, and depression.
- No statistically significant effect of LTPA on shoulder pain was observed.
Conclusions:
- LTPA and occupational physical activity (OPA) showed no significant association with shoulder pain in this cohort.
- Smoking, high BMI, secondary education, and depression are identified as modifiable factors associated with shoulder pain.
- These modifiable factors may represent more effective targets for preventive strategies than LTPA.
