Body Mass Index and Musculoskeletal Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction With obesity reaching pandemic proportions, its detrimental influence on many health-related conditions has recently become a focus of research. Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is one of several disorders associated with obesity. Materials and methods This study was designed to identify MSK pain in individuals with severe obesity, recruited from a specialized obesity clinic, and to evaluate the correlation between the MSK symptoms and some individual criteria. Results In 466 patients (342 females and 124 males), with a mean BMI of 42,77 ± 5.64 kg/m², 90,3% reported MSK pain. Severe pain was reported by 57,8% of female vs 26,6% of male patients. Female patients showed higher mean pain level when compared with males. Body sites with a higher prevalence of pain were: knee (63.5%), lumbar region (46.8%), hip (29%) and ankle (23%), with a predominance of severe pain. BMI have shown a positive correlation to numeric rating scale score in female participants in three body regions: shoulder (P = 0.010), knee (P = 0.042) and ankle (P = 0.024). Body sites with higher pain prevalence were especially in areas of increased mechanical load. Conclusions Understanding the relationship between obesity and pain may provide insights into preventive measures and therapeutic strategies for MSK pain. Persistent MSK pain is a significant problem in obese patients that can have a negative relationship with quality of life and function. This fact highlights the importance that patients with obesity may have access to interdisciplinary care, for the prevention and rehabilitation of MSK disorders. To further understand this association, more robust studies are needed.