Evaluations of 187 temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients and 99 healthy controls revealed that TMD patients generally score lower on sleep quality assessments. However, further analysis showed that TMD patients with a history of whiplash tend to experience even greater sleep disturbances, which highlights the importance of seeking appropriate care following a car accident, slip and…

The results of a questionnaire completed by 528 office workers indicate that such individuals frequently complain of neck pain (52.5%) and back pain (53%). Furthermore, the researchers found that work environment variables that significantly affected musculoskeletal pain include sitting at the desk for a long time, sitting on a chair that only supported the lumbar…

A recent literature review concludes that individuals who are more active during their free time are about 11-16% less likely to develop chronic lower back pain. Examples of leisure time physical activity include planned exercise, hiking, sports, walking, cycling, dancing, gardening, yard work, and household chores. British Journal of Sports Medicine, October 2017

Using data from the Stockholm Public Health Cohort, researchers reviewed the health data of 10,044 men and women who were pain free in 2006 to see if diabetes and/or high cholesterol were linked with an elevated risk for back, neck, and/or shoulder pain (BNSP) in 2010. After adjusting for age, body mass index, physical activity,…

Blood samples taken from 600 participants with either chronic low back pain, sub-acute low back pain, or no history of back pain showed no significant difference in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among the three groups. However, the researchers did observe that the men and women in both of the back pain groups were…

In a recent study, researchers split 84 patients with mechanical back pain into two treatment groups: usual back pain care and usual back pain care plus exercises and mobilization treatment focused on improving hip function. Following two weeks of care, the patients in the back plus hip treatment group reported greater improvements in pain, disability,…

Surveys completed by 5,568 elderly men indicate that 67% experienced back pain during the past year, 25% fell at least once, and 11% had recurrent falls. Further analysis showed that participants with back pain had at least a 20% increased risk for falling, with an even higher risk for those with greater back pain severity…

Does your office chair include any features designed to improve your spinal posture while sitting? Researchers X-rayed 28 volunteers while they stood up straight, bent forward, and sat in four chair conditions: regular chair, a chair with lumbar support, a chair with seat pan tilt, and a chair with a backrest for scapular relief. While…

Women with osteoporosis are more likely to have greater curvature in their thoracic and lumbar spine than other females their age, suggesting they may have a greater risk for neck and back pain. This study also found that individuals with osteoporosis tend to score lower on quality of life assessments for physical activity, bodily pain,…

An electronic survey of 6,686 new mothers from twelve European countries revealed that about 50% took sick leave during their pregnancy. Of those who missed work, one in six did so because of pain in their neck, back, or pelvic girdle. The findings reveal the need for musculoskeletal care during pregnancy to help reduce pain…