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Last updated: Wed, Jun 28, 2017
Studies indicate that 30 to 40% of people suffer from arm and shoulder pain. A study in the U.K. showed that about 6.5% of the population saw a primary care doctor for upper limb pain in a year, and that half of these were still in pain a year later. Other studies showed that 50 to 60% of people who consulted a doctor for shoulder pain were not fully recovered a year later.1
Epidemiological researchers look for relationships between “psychosocial” factors and pain complaints. A 1988 study showed that women with shoulder pain were less satisfied with their jobs. In another study, workers who reported a “high mental load,” monotonous work, and low social support at work were more likely to have shoulder pain. Men who reported “high mental load” at work together with domestic work at home were three times as likely to have an incident of shoulder pain. Monotonous work has been found to predict new shoulder pain better than manual handling activities or workplace postures.2