Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
Best Evidence on the Burden and Determinats of Neck PainThe Burden and Determinants of Neck Pain in Workers: Results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders
Section snippets
Design and Data Collection
We conducted a systematic review of the literature. The literature search and critical review strategy are outlined in detail elsewhere in this report.11 Briefly, we systematically searched the electronic library database Medline for literature published from 1980 through 2006 on neck pain and its associated disorders (e.g., cervicogenic headache and other referred pain syndromes into the arm and upper back). We also systematically checked reference lists of relevant articles and updated our
Selection and Critical Appraisal of Articles
Overall, the Task Force retrieved 31,878 citations, of which 1203 met the inclusion criteria for relevance to the Neck Pain Task Force and were reviewed.11 Six hundred and fifty-one articles were excluded because they were appraised as scientifically inadmissible by the Scientific Secretariat of the Neck Pain Task Force.11 Of the 552 scientifically admissible articles, 469 related to the incidence, risk factors, prevalence and factors associated with prevalent neck pain: 109 of these articles
Discussion
Our systematic review demonstrates that neck pain is a significant health problem in workers. Each year, it can be expected that at least five percent of the working population will develop frequent or persistent neck disorders and that depending on their occupations, up to 10% will probably experience at least one episode of activity limitations because of neck pain.
The evidence suggests that most neck pain in workers is nontraumatic and that its etiology is multifaceted. While the evidence
Conclusion
In the introduction to this paper, we highlighted 3 questions that are relevant to all stakeholders invested in occupational health. We believe that our systematic review of the evidence regarding neck pain in workers has yielded answers to these questions:
Acknowledgments
We are indebted to Ms. Oksana Colson and Ms. Leah Phillips (M.A.) for their administrative assistance; to Mr. Stephen Greenhalgh (M.A., MLIS), Ms. C. Sam Cheng (MLIS) and Ms. Lori Giles-Smith (MLIS), research librarians, for their assistance in the work of the Neck Pain Task Force; and to Ms. Evelyne Michaels for her assistance in editing the manuscripts. We also thank Drs. Heather Shearer and Maja Stupar with their assistance in preparing this manuscript. The Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010
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The manuscript submitted does not contain information about medical device(s)/drug(s).
No funds were received in support of this work. No benefits in any form have been or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this manuscript.
Reprinted from Côté et al. The burden and determinants of neck pain in workers. Results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000–2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. Spine 2008;33:S60-S74. Reprinted with permission from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.