title: Tenderness and pain in neck and shoulders in relation to Type A behaviour.
abstract: 158 males employees in the metal industry, aged 35-44 years, were examined to determine the prevalence of tenderness and pain in the neck and shoulders. Type A behaviour was assessed by a series of 16 questions. One or more tender sites were found in 30% and more than three in 7% of the examined employees. Tenderness was twice as common among those with interview-based pain in the past 12 months (40%) as among those without pain (23%). Those with tenderness on palpation more often had a type A behaviour than those without tenderness (p = 0.010). The association was modified by pain but not by occupation. One explanation for the association between tenderness and behaviour might be that type A personality is associated with increased muscle activity in the neck and shoulders leading to muscular fatigue and tenderness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Central Hospital of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Salminen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pentti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wickström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D009334:Neck Muscles; D009790:Occupations; D010146:Pain; D012782:Shoulder; D014434:Type A Personality