Does difficulty in chewing induce subjective musculoskeletal symptoms? A case-control study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Risk factors associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorders and symptoms remain an important issue worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oral health problems such as difficulty chewing and the occurrence of stiff neck/shoulders (SN/S) and low back pain (LBP).

Design

Case-control study.

Setting and participants

This study was conducted from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2020. The subjects were 77 341 workers among 646 281 workers from several employers in Japan.

Outcome measures

Participants were asked to evaluate their subjective SN/S and LBP symptoms using a self-administered questionnaire.

Methods

We defined the chewing condition using a questionnaire, and workers who responded with 'I can chew anything

SUBMITTER: Tani N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8943742 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature