Abstract
The prevalence of various forms of soft tissue rheumatism, including painful low back syndrome (PLBS), painful restricted shoulder syndrome (PRSS), and epicondylitis without an underlying specific rheumatic disease, and the resultant loss of time from work were determined in a total population of 4,683 rural and 1,103 urban subjects aged 15 years and over in Central Java, Indonesia. In the rural study, 763 respondents with, and 355 respondents without complaints were examined. The urban survey evaluated 925 subjects. Prevalence rates in the rural and urban subjects were 20.0% and 25.8%, respectively, for PLBS, 14.5% and 16.2%, respectively, for PRSS, and 5.8% and 7.5%, respectively, for epicondylitis. Lost time from work in the rural and urban subjects was 9% and 2.2%, respectively, for PLBS, 5% and 1.1%, respectively for PRSS, and 2% and 1.3%, respectively for epicondylitis. The mean number of lost work days per year in the rural and urban subjects were 15.3 and 21.1, respectively, for PLBS, 8.1 and 15.2, respectively, for PRSS, and 3.9 and 2.3, respectively for epicondylitis. Thus, these forms of soft tissue rheumatism exerted significant effects on community life, apart from causing pain and discomfort. Work days lost directly means diminished income in populations lacking any form of unemployment benefits.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
manahan L, Caragay R, Muirden KD, Allander E, Valkenburg HA, Wigley RD (1985) Rheumatic pain in a Philippine village. A WHO-ILAR COPCORD study. Rheumatol Int 5:149–153
Darmawan J, Valkenburg HA, Muirden KD, Wigley RD (1992) Epidemiology of rheumatic diseases in rural and urban populations in Indonesia: a World Health Organisation International League against Rheumatism COPCORD study, stage 1, phase 2. Ann Rheum Dis 51:525–528
Horal J (1969) The clinical appearance of low back disorders. Acta Orthop Scand 118 [Suppl]:7–109
Biering-Soriensen FA (1983) A prospective study of low back pain in a general population. I. Occurrence, recurrence and aetiolog. Scand J Rehab Med 15:71–79
Frymoyer JW, Pope MH, Costanza MC, Rossen JC, Goggin JE, Wilder DG (1980) Epidemiologic studies of low back pain. Spine 5:419–423
Hasue M, Fujiwara M (1979) Epidemiologic and clinical studies of long term prognosis of low back pain and sciatica. Spine 4:150–155
Kelsey JL, White AA (1980) Epidemiology and impact of low back pain. Spine 5:133–142
Nagi SZ, Riley KE, Newby LG (1973) A social epidemiology of back pain and in a general population. J Chronic Dis 26:769–779
Frymoyer JW, William L, Cats-Baril WL (1991) An overview of the incidence and cost of low back pain. Orthop Clin North Am 22:263–271
Haanen HCM (1984) An epidemiological survey on low back pain. Thesis. Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Culliver J (1977) Acute low back pain in industry. Acta Orthop Scand 170 [Suppl]:9–17
Volinn E, Van Koevering D, Loeser JD (1991) Back sprain in industry. The role of socioeconomic factors in chronicity. Spine 16:542–547
Deyo RA, Yu J, Tsui-Wu YJ (1987) Functional disability due to low back pain. A population-based study indicating the importance of socioeconomic factors. Arthritis Rheum 30:1247–1251
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Darmawan, J., Valkenburg, H.A., Muirden, K.D. et al. The prevalence of soft tissue rheumatism. Rheumatol Int 15, 121–124 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302129
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302129