title: Joint hypermobility and its relationship to musculoskeletal pain in schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if joint hypermobility is associated with musculoskeletal pain in a population of Italian schoolchildren.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, school-based study, using a pretested questionnaire administered to schoolchildren to enquire about musculoskeletal pain and Beighton criteria, with score of > or =5 as a cut-off, to test for hypermobility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight primary schools in the town of Cesena, Italy.
  
  
  METHODS
  1230 Italian schoolchildren aged 7 to 15 years representing an opportunistic sample of 10% of the schoolchildren in Cesena
  
  
  METHODS
  (1) The strength of association between hypermobiliy and musculoskeletal pain; (2) the impact of hypermobility on daily activities, using a subjective "disability score" and a "physical activity score."
  
  
  METHODS
  Sample size calculation for evaluating if hypermobility was associated with musculoskeletal pain was performed prior starting the study. Children experiencing pain at least once a week were used as cases, children experiencing pain seldom or never served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1046 consenting Italian schoolchildren (mean age 10.8 years) were included. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain reported by schoolchildren was 18%. 22% of children with musculoskeletal pain versus 23% of controls had hypermobility (OR 1.057, 95% CI 0.7 to 1.4). Functional limitations measured by a "disability score" correlated in a weak negative way with Beighton score (p = 0.03). The "physical activity score" correlated in a weak positive way with Beighton score (p = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No association was found between hypermobility and musculoskeletal pain. Hypermobile children did not experience functional limitations in daily activities, and they were slightly more active than non-hypermobile children.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Department, Maurizio Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy. valentinaleone@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tornese
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zerial
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciambra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bensa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pocecco
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology