Objective: To study the prevalence of joint hypermobility and the association of hypermobility with musculoskeletal pain in pre-adolescents.
Methods: Finnish school children in the 3rd and 5th grade, n = 1637, mean ages 9.8 and 11.8 years, were studied by Beighton criteria for joint hypermobility, with total score > or = 6 as a cutoff point for hypermobility, pretested questionnaire for musculoskeletal pain, and classification to different pain groups on the basis of painful body area and frequency of pain.
Results: The mean Beighton scores were 2.7 and 2.4 for the 3rd and 5th grade children, respectively. Total score was > or = 6 in 7.8% of the children. No association of hypermobility with musculoskeletal pain was found. Of the hypermobile children, 29.9% (95% CI 22.3 to 38.8), and of the nonhypermobile children, 32.3% (95% CI 29.9 to 34.7) had musculoskeletal pain at least once a week. Children with hypermobility did not have more pain due to injuries. Disability caused by musculoskeletal pain did not correlate with Beighton total score.
Conclusion: Both joint hypermobility and musculoskeletal pain are common in pre-adolescents. Hypermobility appears not to be a contributing factor to musculoskeletal pain in pre-adolescents.