Association between Pain in Adolescence and Low Back Pain in Adulthood: Studying a Cohort of Mine Workers.

David Jonsson,Lage Burström,Hans Pettersson,Tohr Nilsson,Jens Wahlström

doi:10.1155/2017/3569231

David Jonsson, Lage Burström + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/3569231

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Abstract

Purpose. To study the association of self-reported pain in adolescence with low back pain (LBP) in adulthood among mine workers and, also, study associations between the presence of LBP over 12-month or one-month LBP intensity during a health examination and daily ratings of LBP three and nine months later. Methods. Mixed design with data collected retrospectively, cross-sectionally, and prospectively. Data was collected using a questionnaire during a health examination and by using self-reported daily ratings of LBP three and nine months after the examination. Results. Pain prevalence during teenage years was 55% and it was 59% at age 20. Pain during teenage years had a relative risk of 1.33 (95% confidence interval 1.03–1.73) of LBP 12 months prior to the health examination, but with no associations with LBP intensity or LBP assessed by text messaging. Pain at age 20 years was not associated with any measure of LBP in adulthood. Daily ratings of LBP were associated with LBP during the health examination three and nine months earlier. Conclusions. There were no clear associations between self-reported pain in adolescence and LBP in adulthood. Self-reported daily ratings of LBP were associated with LBP from the health examination. Possible limitations for this study were the retrospective design and few participants.

Highlights

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem that imposes a considerable personal, community, and financial burden worldwide [1, 2]
Three and nine months after the health examination, selfreported daily ratings of LBP were collected by the use of text messages
Participants who experienced pain during their teenage years had relative risk of 1.33 of LBP during the 12 months’ period preceding the health examination; there were no associations with one-month LBP intensity or LBP assessed with text messages in either of the two periods

Summary

Introduction

Low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem that imposes a considerable personal, community, and financial burden worldwide [1, 2]. A systematic review of population prevalence studies of LBP between 1966 and 1998 showed a point prevalence ranging from 12 to 33%, 12-month prevalence from 22 to 65%, and a lifetime prevalence ranging from 11 to 84% [3]. LBP is caused by a selflimiting musculoskeletal disorder, which typically resolves itself within 8–12 weeks [8]. Episodes of LBP lasting less than three months (approximately 90% of cases) are usually benign and do not need specific treatment [5]. A literature review by De Vet et al [4] suggested defining an episode of LBP “as a period of pain in the lower back lasting for more than 24 hours, preceded and followed by a period of at least one month without low back pain.”

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