Stiff Neck Associates with Life Styles in Multiphasic Health Testing and Service.

Abstract

We conducted a survey of 11, 734 health-checkups participants (7, 774 male and 3, 960 female) regarding actual condition of‘stiff neck’ that was one of the major complaints reported in The Basic Research of National Living in the 1998 fiscal year, by The Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. The number of people who suffered from stiff neck was as follows: 2, 218 male (28.5% of all male participants) ; 1, 979 female (50.0% of all female participants) . Prevalence of stiff neck was significantly higher in female than that in males, as the same as in the other previous reports (p<0.05, chi-square) . Stiff neck also significantly related with lumbago. Furthermore, those who suffered from stiff neck had the tendency of the following life styles: inactive in daily life, less exercise, feel more stress, not drink, and not smoke. We would like to make use of the results of this research for the consultation to improve life styles.