Objectives

This study aimed to determine the extent to which objectively measured sitting time at work is associated with the course of neck-shoulder pain across one year in blue-collar workers.

Methods

Data was analyzed from 625 blue-collar workers in the Danish DPHACTO cohort study (2012-2013). Objective data on sitting time were collected at baseline using accelerometry. Self-reported pain intensity (numeric rating scale 0-10) in the neck-shoulder region was registered for one year using repeated text messages (14 in total). Linear Mixed Models were used to determine the relationship between percent time in sitting at work and trajectories of neck-shoulder pain, with and without adjustment for demographic, occupational and lifestyle factors, and baseline pain intensity.

Results

More sitting time at work was associated with a faster decline in pain intensity over 12-months, as indicated by a statistically significant effect of sitting on pain trajectories in the crude (p=0.020) and fully adjusted models (p=0.027).

Conclusion                             

In blue-collar workers, more sitting time at work was associated with a favorable development of pain intensity over time. The relationship between sitting at work and pain needs further investigation before explicit recommendations and guidelines on sedentary behavior among blue-collar workers can be developed.