Occupation and epicondylitis: a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between occupational exposures and lateral and medial epicondylitis, and the effect of epicondylitis on sickness absence in a population sample of working-aged adults.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study of 9696 randomly selected adults aged 25-64 years involving a screening questionnaire and standardized physical examination. Age- and sex-specific prevalence rates of epicondylitis were estimated and associations with occupational risk factors explored.


RESULTS
Among 6038 respondents, 636 (11%) reported elbow pain in the last week. Of those surveyed, 0.7% were diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis and 0.6% with medial epicondylitis. Lateral epicondylitis was associated with manual work [odds ratio (OR) 4.0, 95% CI 1.9, 8.4]. In multivariate analyses, repetitive bending/straightening elbow >1 h day was independently associated with lateral (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2, 5.5) and medial epicondylitis (OR 5.1, 95% CI 1.8, 14.3). Five per cent of adults with epicondylitis took sickness absence because of their elbow symptoms in the past 12 months (median 29 days).


CONCLUSIONS
Repetitive exposure to bending/straightening the elbow was a significant risk factor for medial and lateral epicondylitis. Epicondylitis is associated with prolonged sickness absence in 5% of affected working-aged adults.
Department of Rheumatology, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK. k.walker-bone@bsms.ac.uk
Karen
K
Walker-Bone
Keith T
KT
Palmer
Isabel
I
Reading
David
D
Coggon
Cyrus
C
Cooper
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013716:Tennis Elbow / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*