Joint hypermobility is not a contributing factor to musculoskeletal pain in pre-adolescents.

OBJECTIVE

To study the prevalence of joint hypermobility and the association of hypermobility with musculoskeletal pain in pre-adolescents.

METHODS

Finnish school children in the 3rd and 5th grade, n = 1637, mean ages 9.8 and 11.8 years, were studied by Beighton criteria for joint hypermobility, with total score > or = 6 as a cutoff point for hypermobility, pretested questionnaire for musculoskeletal pain, and classification to different pain groups on the basis of painful body area and frequency of pain.

RESULTS

The mean Beighton scores were 2.7 and 2.4 for the 3rd and 5th grade children, respectively. Total score was > or = 6 in 7.8% of the children. No association of hypermobility with musculoskeletal pain was found. Of the hypermobile children, 29.9% (95% CI 22.3 to 38.8), and of the nonhypermobile children, 32.3% (95% CI 29.9 to 34.7) had musculoskeletal pain at least once a week. Children with hypermobility did not have more pain due to injuries. Disability caused by musculoskeletal pain did not correlate with Beighton total score.

CONCLUSION

Both joint hypermobility and musculoskeletal pain are common in pre-adolescents. Hypermobility appears not to be a contributing factor to musculoskeletal pain in pre-adolescents.