Association between Low Back Pain and Neck Pain: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study Using the Data of the People after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Association between Low Back Pain and Neck Pain: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study Using the Data of the People after the Great East Japan Earthquake

Yutaka Yabe,²

¹Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
²Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Informatics and Public Health, Tohoku University Graduate School of Public Health, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

Low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP) are common health problems worldwide. LBP often coexists with NP; however, the association between these pains remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the association between LBP and NP, focusing on dose-dependent effects. This study used a 3-year longitudinal cohort data of people living in disaster-stricken areas after the Great East Japan Earthquake (n = 2,118). LBP and NP were assessed at 4, 5, 6, and 7 years after the disaster. LBP was categorized according to its frequency. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between LBP and NP, and the effect of preceding LBP on the subsequent onset of NP, according to the frequency of LBP. LBP was significantly associated with NP, and the association was stronger with increased frequency of LBP. Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.40 (1.71-3.37) for "1", 3.99 (2.82-5.66) for "2", and 6.08 (4.40-8.41) for " 3" in frequency when the absence of LBP was used as a reference (p for trend < 0.001). Furthermore, preceding LBP was significantly associated with subsequent onset of NP, and the effect was stronger with increased frequency of LBP. Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.44 (1.62-3.68) for "1" and 2.68 (1.77-4.05) for " 2" in frequency when the absence of LBP was used as a reference (p for trend < 0.001). LBP is associated with NP in a dose-dependent manner. The association between LBP and NP should be considered to effectively treat these pains.

Key words —— dose-dependent effects; Great East Japan Earthquake; longitudinal study; low back pain; natural disaster; neck pain

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2023 September, 261(1), 43-49.

Correspondence: Yutaka Yabe, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8574, Japan.

e-mail: yabe@med.tohoku.ac.jp