Somatic versus nonsomatic shoulder and back pain experience in middle age in relation to body build, physical fitness, bone mineral content, gamma-glutamyltransferase, occupational workload, and psychosocial factors.

This study selected 205 subjects aged 55 years who had shoulder and/or back pain complaints to determine the relationship of somatic and nonsomatic pain experience to body build, physical fitness, bone mineral content, serum levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase, occupational workload and intelligence test, educational level, life success, social support, stress at work, monotonous work, and job decision latitude. Men with a somatic back pain drawing experienced more stress at work and had higher serum levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase, indicating a higher intake of alcohol and/or painkillers, but were more satisfied with their jobs compared with men who had a nonsomatic pain drawing. Women with obvious shoulder signs and symptoms and/or a somatic back pain drawing tended heavier than women without symptoms, had higher serum levels of gamma-glutamyltransferase, and found their jobs more mentally demanding than did women with shoulder and/or back pain experience but without obvious shoulder signs and symptoms and/or a nonsomatic back pain drawing.