Study: Women at greater risk for stress-related neck pain

News - Workplace Stress

Thursday, 06 January 2011 16:00

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Prolonged workplace stress is known to cause physical symptoms such as fatigue or body aches, and some people may be more prone to them than others. In fact, according to a recent Swedish study, stress-related neck pain is a common occurrence, and it affects female workers more than their male colleagues. 

In one part of the study, the researchers distributed questionnaires to more than 800 professionals who used computers at work. They found that the women respondents experienced more neck and upper back pain, regardless of their occupation. Moreover, the pain was related to psychosocial factors, such as the stress related to every day work duties.

The study's author, Anna Grimby-Ekman, a postdoctoral student at the University of Gothenburg, says that while the association between physical work - such as heavy lifting - and pain is clear, her research has begun to shed light on some of the mental reasons for muscle pain among those whose jobs are less physically demanding.

The American Psychological Association reports more than 30 percent of Americans are living with extreme stress, and almost 48 percent think their stress levels have increased in recent years.

However, it has also been shown that women who practice yoga postures, breath control and meditation recover from stress faster than those who do not, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. To facilitate such outcomes, some companies offer employee health benefits that cover wellness programs.