title: High incidence and recurrence of shoulder and neck pain in nursing home employees was demonstrated during a 2-year follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the course of shoulder and neck complaints in a working population over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were administered on neck and shoulder complaints over 3 consecutive years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed 12-month incidence rates for neck and shoulder complaints of 16% to 18%, 12-month prevalence rates roughly twice as high, and 12-month recurrence rates approximately twice the prevalence rates. Each year, medical care was sought by 21% to 38% of the subjects with neck or shoulder pain, and 13% to 21% were absent from work. Although at the population level the occurrence of neck and shoulder complaints remained constant, the course of complaints within individuals demonstrated a strong episodic nature of neck and shoulder pain. Results from this study suggest that neck and shoulder complaints for most subjects run a recurrent course characterized by a strong variation in occurrence and a self-limiting course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that clinical trials should have a sufficiently long follow-up period to demonstrate sustainability of the therapeutic results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, The Netherlands. a.burdorf@Erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Jolanda J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Luime
authors.forename: Bart W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Koes
authors.forename: Harald S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Miedem
authors.forename: Jan A N
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Verhaar
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Burdorf
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009735:Nursing Homes; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology