Fitness and Body Composition Related to Neck/Shoulder Pain in Adolescents
Author Information
Author(s): Perry Mark C, Straker Leon M, O'Sullivan Peter B, Smith Anne J, Hands Beth
Primary Institution: Curtin University of Technology
Hypothesis
Are fitness, motor competence, and body composition related to neck/shoulder pain in adolescents?
Conclusion
Adolescent neck/shoulder pain is associated with fitness and motor competence, with varying effects based on gender.
Supporting Evidence
- 46.8% of participants reported experiencing neck/shoulder pain at some point.
- Females had a higher prevalence of neck/shoulder pain compared to males.
- Better performance in physical tests was sometimes associated with increased risk of neck/shoulder pain.
Takeaway
This study looked at how being fit and strong might affect neck and shoulder pain in teenagers, finding that it can help but also that it can be complicated.
Methodology
Participants completed questionnaires about neck/shoulder pain and underwent physical tests for fitness and motor competence.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported pain and reliance on parental reports for diagnosed conditions.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, making it difficult to determine causality between physical characteristics and neck/shoulder pain.
Participant Demographics
1608 adolescents (783 females, 825 males) with a mean age of 14 years.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.12–0.94
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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