Long-term musculoskeletal complaints after traumatic brain injury

To examine the extent and impact of musculoskeletal complaints in a TBI survivor population many years post-injury.

A retrospective cohort design was used. Former patients of a rehabilitation programme who sustained a moderate-to-severe TBI 15 or more years prior (n = 34) were interviewed by telephone. The mean age at follow-up was 48 years; mean time post-injury was 26 years.

Seventy-nine per cent reported some form of musculoskeletal complaint, defined as experiencing pain, stiffness or aching in or around a joint during the past 30 days. Compared with survivors with no reported musculoskeletal complaints, individuals reporting one or more complaints reported significantly more bodily pain and lower health status and function, based on sub-scales of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36) (p < 0.001).

These results suggest that musculoskeletal complaints may be highly prevalent in a long-term TBI survivor population and confer significant pain and disability. Future studies should be directed at elucidating modifiable risk factors associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorders following TBI. In the meantime, attention should be paid to the assessment and long-term management of these complaints among TBI survivors.