Family Practice Advance Access originally published online on May 29, 2008
Family Practice 2008 25(3):197-201; doi:10.1093/fampra/cmn027
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Chronic forearm pain presents as a transient and indistinct pain site in a community setting: results from a UK population survey
1 Centre for Health Sciences, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, 2 Newark Street, London, UK
2 The Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, London, UK
Correspondence to Dr Dawn Carnes, Institute of Health Sciences Education, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK; Email: d.carnes{at}qmul.ac.uk
Received 14 November 2007; Revised 25 March 2008; Accepted 27 April 2008.
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Abstract |
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Objectives. To investigate the prevalence of chronic forearm pain in a non-occupational community setting over a 2-year period.
Method. A longitudinal community-based postal questionnaire survey conducted in the south-eastern quadrant of England.
Results. We received 2493/4172 (60%) responses at baseline and we followed up 429 of these 2 years later: 252 responded (59%). Forearm pain prevalence was 4% at baseline and 5% at follow-up. Over 95% of those with forearm pain had pain in other areas [odds ratio 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.3–1.7)] and it was most commonly associated with elbow and wrist pain. Seventy-six per cent of those with forearm pain at baseline recovered. At follow-up, 78% of those with chronic forearm pain had new-onset forearm pain.
Conclusions. Persistent forearm pain (pain for over 2 years) was rare and the capacity for recovery was good (76%). Isolated forearm pain as a diagnostic category is of little utility. Treating and managing forearm pain in a site-specific manner is unlikely to be successful owing to its strong association with pain in other areas. In the community, forearm pain laterality was not evident; our findings suggest that forearm pain in the workplace is influenced by different factors to those in a community setting.
Keywords. Chronic pain, community survey, forearm pain.
Carnes D, Ashby D, Parsons S and Underwood M. Chronic forearm pain presents as a transient and indistinct pain site in a community setting: results from a UK population survey. Family Practice 2008; 25: 197–201.