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Table 4 Summary of key associations of sedentary behaviour with musculoskeletal pain conditions by studies quality

From: Musculoskeletal pain and sedentary behaviour in occupational and non-occupational settings: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Sedentary Behaviour

MSP Conditions

Cross-Sectional Studies

Prospective Studies

Positive Association

No Association

Negative Association

Positive Association

No Association

Negative Association

Quality

Quality

Quality

Quality

Quality

Quality

All

High

Low

All

High

Low

All

High

Low

All

High

Low

All

High

Low

All

High

Low

Non-occupational sedentary behaviourb

Observational studies

 Total SB

LBP

5

4

1

4

3

1

1

1

 

1

 

1

1

1

    

LBP-intensity

1

1

          

1

1

    

Neck/shoulder pain

1

1

                

Neck/shoulder pain-intensity

   

1

1

             

Knee pain

4

4

          

1

1

    

Arthritis

2

2

 

1

1

             

Hip pain

1

1

    

1

1

          

Extremities pain

   

1

1

             

General MSP

2

2

 

2

1

1

   

1

 

1

      

 Total SB bout

LBPc

1

1

                

LBP-intensityd

1

1

    

1

1

          

 SBs/TV time

LBP

1

 

1

2

1

1

            

LBP-intensity

            

1

1

    

LBP-disabilitye

         

1

1

       

Neck/shoulder pain

   

2

1

1

            

Back/neck pain

   

1

1

             

Knee pain

1

 

1

               

Extremities pain

1

 

1

1

1

             

General MSP

1

1

       

1

1

       

 Leisure-time SB

LBP

1

 

1

1

1

             

LBP-intensity

2

2

 

1

1

             

Neck/shoulder pain

   

1

 

1

            

Neck/shoulder pain-intensity

1

1

                

Extremities pain

   

1

 

1

            

Occupational sedentary behaviour

Observational studies

 Workplace sitting

                   

  Device-measured

LBP

   

1

1

             

LBP-intensityf

   

2

2

       

1

1

 

2

2

 

Neck/shoulder pain-intensity

1 g

1

 

2

2

          

1

1

 

  Workplace sitting bouta

LBP-intensity

1

1

    

1

1

       

1

1

 

  Self-reported

LBP

7

5

2

4

4

       

1

 

1

   

Neck/shoulder pain

9

6

3

1

1

    

1

1

       

Knee pain

               

1

1

 

Extremities pain

2

1

1

4

3

1

3

2

1

         

  Computer time

LBP

1

1

    

1

1

          

Neck/shoulder pain

2

1

1

               

General MSP

1

 

1

1

1

             

  Vehicle time

LBP

2

1

1

1

1

             

General MSP

1

 

1

1

1

             

Occupational sedentary behaviour

Experimental/intervention studies

 Changes in sitting time

 

Randomised controlled trial

Non-randomised controlled trial

  Sitting reduction

LBP/discomfort

1

1

 

2

2

    

5

3

2

      

Neck/shoulder pain/discomfort

2

2

 

1

1

       

2

2

    

Extremities pain

   

4

4

       

2

2

    

General MSP/discomfort

2

1

1

      

1

1

       

  Prolonged sitting

General MSP/discomfort

1

1

       

1

 

1

      

LBP/discomfort

         

1

 

1

      

  Prolonged sitting bout

Extremities pain

      

1

1

          
  1. Numbers in the Table represent the number of studies
  2. LBP: Low back pain, MSP: Musculoskeletal pain, TV: Television-viewing, SB(s): Sedentary behaviour(s) including sitting watching television, video game, reading, listening to music, talking on the phone
  3. aA negative association for a moderate sitting bout and a positive association for a brief bout in the cross-sectional study
  4. bIncluded both self-reported and device-measured occupational SB
  5. cA positive in association obese individuals
  6. dPositive association in normal-weight individuals and a negative association in overweight/obese individuals
  7. eAssociation in females but not in males
  8. fOne study reported no association in construction workers and a negative association in healthcare workers
  9. gLow SB negatively associated with neck/shoulder pain-intensity in men but not women, thus high SB probably increase the risk of neck/shoulder pain-intensity in men