According to a recent study, breaking a major bone may increase one’s risk of experiencing chronic widespread pain later in life.

The study, by researchers at Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit (MRC LEU), University of Southampton, concluded that men and women who had a spine fracture and women who had a hip fracture were more than twice as likely to experience long-term widespread pain as those who had not had a fracture, explains a media release from the University of Southampton.

Using the UK biobank cohort of 500,000 adults aged between 40 and 69 years old, the researchers investigated associations between a past history of fracture affecting upper and lower limb, spine or hip and the presence of chronic widespread body pain. In their investigation, the researchers considered possible effects of diet, lifestyle and body build, and psychological health.

They suggest that the risk of chronic widespread body pain was increased if participants reported having a past fracture, especially a spine and/or hip fracture, per the release.

“Chronic widespread pain is common, and leads to substantial health-related problems and disability,” explains lead researcher Nicholas Harvey, in the release.

“Past studies have demonstrated an increased risk of chronic widespread pain following traumatic events, but none have directly linked to skeletal fractures,” adds Harvey, professor of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology at University of Southampton.

The study was published recently in Archives of Osteoporosis.

[Source(s): University of Southampton, EurekAlert]