AGE, WORK AND SPINAL PAIN

Background : To examine whether the relationship between age and muscu losqueletal disorders in the spine is specific to one localization (ce rvical dorsal, lumbar) or due to the accumulation of lesions with age. Methods : Data were gathered from the ESTEV study among a randomly se lected sample of 21 378 French workers, followed by 390 occupational p hysicians during the year 1990. The subjects, males or females, were b orn in 1938, 1943, 1948, 1953. Participation rate (88 %) did not depen d on age and sex. Data were collected during annual medical examinatio n for medical variables, and using standardized self questionnaires fo r occupational exposures and work constraints for actuel or past jobs. Results : data on musculo-squeletal disorders, defined as pains durin g the last 6 months before examination, were recorded by occupational physician. Each painful localization was associated with the main fact ors described in the litterature, particularly heavy physical work fac tors and psyche-social factors of work. There was no interaction betwe en age and any of these. At the opposite, in male as female subjects, there was a statistically significant interaction between age, multipl e exposures to heavy physical work factors and the frequency of multip le localizations of pain in the spine. Conclusion : Results suggest th at accumulation of pain in the different localizations of the spine mi ght account for accelerated aging process of the musculo-squeletal str ucture of the spine which can reflect effects of environmental work fa ctors.