• V Leone, G Tornese, M Zerial, C Locatelli, R Ciambra, M Bensa, and M Pocecco.
• Paediatric Department, Maurizio Bufalini Hospital, Cesena, Italy. valentinaleone@doctors.org.uk
• Arch. Dis. Child. 2009 Aug 1; 94 (8): 627-32.

ObjectivesTo determine if joint hypermobility is associated with musculoskeletal pain in a population of Italian schoolchildren.DesignCross-sectional, school-based study, using a pretested questionnaire administered to schoolchildren to enquire about musculoskeletal pain and Beighton criteria, with score of > or =5 as a cut-off, to test for hypermobility.SettingEight primary schools in the town of Cesena, Italy.Participants1230 Italian schoolchildren aged 7 to 15 years representing an opportunistic sample of 10% of the schoolchildren in CesenaMain Outcome Measures(1) The strength of association between hypermobiliy and musculoskeletal pain; (2) the impact of hypermobility on daily activities, using a subjective "disability score" and a "physical activity score."AnalysisSample size calculation for evaluating if hypermobility was associated with musculoskeletal pain was performed prior starting the study. Children experiencing pain at least once a week were used as cases, children experiencing pain seldom or never served as controls.ResultsA total of 1046 consenting Italian schoolchildren (mean age 10.8 years) were included. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain reported by schoolchildren was 18%. 22% of children with musculoskeletal pain versus 23% of controls had hypermobility (OR 1.057, 95% CI 0.7 to 1.4). Functional limitations measured by a "disability score" correlated in a weak negative way with Beighton score (p = 0.03). The "physical activity score" correlated in a weak positive way with Beighton score (p = 0.012).ConclusionsNo association was found between hypermobility and musculoskeletal pain. Hypermobile children did not experience functional limitations in daily activities, and they were slightly more active than non-hypermobile children.

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