By Ken Y-N ( July 7, 2008 at 22:05)
· Filed under Polls, Society
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The physical ailment that seems perhaps not unique to Japan, but at least far more prevelant here is 肩こり, katakori, or stiff shoulders, caused mainly by the tightening and knotting of muscles around the shoulder blades. This recent survey from MyVoice into stiff shoulders and back pain tried to find out more on how people suffer.
Demographics
Over the first five days of June 2008 13,808 members of the MyVoice internet community completed a private online questionnaire. 54% of the sample were female, 1% in their teens, 15% in their twenties, 38% in their thirties, 29% in their forties, and 17% in their fifties.
Note, stiff shoulders is not aching muscles from, for example, carrying a heavy load all day, but apparently a deep-down tightness in the shoulders. I remeber a couple of years ago at a work health check the doctor did a quick back muscle check on me and was most surprised to report not the slightest hint of stiff shoulders, suggesting I was about the only person he’d seen that week who was problem free.
I did some research on this topic last year and did plan to publish an article, but I never quite got round to it. However, I did discover one very interesting scientific paper that suggests that stiff shoulders is a somatic response to depression. Japanese brought up in the West report very little katakori, but instead displayed more typical Western responses such as headaches. Another study also showed a definite corrolation with stress.
Research results
Q1: Have you ever felt stiff shoulders or back pain? (Sample size=13,808)
| Chronic stiff shoulders, back pain |
38.9% |
| Occasional stiff shoulders, back pain |
46.7% |
| Used to, but now don’t get stiff shoulders, back pain (to Q7) |
5.6% |
| Never had stiff shoulders, back pain (to Q7) |
8.7% |
Q2: Where do you feel pain? (Sample size=those with pain, multiple answer)
| Shoulder area |
70.8% |
| Base of the neck |
63.9% |
| Lumbar region |
58.5% |
| Upper spine area |
28.1% |
| Abdominal external oblique muscle (stomach sides) |
13.2% |
| Other |
1.3% |
| No answer |
0.2% |
Q3: What sorts of symptoms do you have? (Sample size=those with pain, multiple answer)
| Rub, massage eases pain |
43.7% |
| Affected part feels heavy |
40.4% |
| Hard when touched |
36.2% |
| Affected part is tight |
36.0% |
| Difficult to maintain the same posture for a long time |
25.7% |
| Pain spreads from shoulders, neck to arms |
16.6% |
| Difficult to get up in mornings |
13.7% |
| Both left and right sides are sore |
11.8% |
| Standing after sitting is painful |
9.2% |
| Affected part feels numb with the pain |
8.7% |
| Shoulders are sore and cannot raise arms |
7.8% |
| Can’t move from the pain |
4.4% |
| Feel numbness, ache, cold in lower body |
4.0% |
| Feel hot pain in affected part |
3.8% |
| Difficult to put on socks with the pain |
2.5% |
| Other |
5.7% |
| No answer |
1.0% |
Q4: What do you think is the cause of stiff shoulders, back pain? (Sample size=those with pain, multiple answer)
| Lack of exercise |
45.0% |
| Deskwork |
43.8% |
| Bad posture |
42.9% |
| Fatigue |
35.5% |
| Stress |
31.9% |
| Tired eyes |
31.9% |
| Body shape |
27.1% |
| Fat |
13.0% |
| Housework |
11.9% |
| Standing work |
11.2% |
| Child care, nursing |
9.4% |
| Bed, bedding |
7.3% |
| Driving |
4.6% |
| Fast movement |
3.6% |
| Sickness |
3.0% |
| High heels |
2/3% |
| Genetics |
1.5% |
| Dieting |
0.4% |
| Other |
6.4% |
| Don’t know |
4.0% |
| No answer |
1.8% |
Q5: When you have stiff shoulders, back pain what sorts of measures do you take? (Sample size=those with pain, multiple answer)
| Stretch |
54.0% |
| Take a bath |
35.6% |
| Use hot, cold compress |
26.8% |
| Don’t keep the same posture |
25.5% |
| Do exercise |
21.8% |
| Get a massage from family member |
19.2% |
| Go to a massage parlour, chiropracter, etc |
18.9% |
| Correct my posture |
13.1% |
| Rub in some pain killer |
9.5% |
| Go to a hot spring |
9.1% |
| Take a supplement |
6.3% |
| Go to hospital |
6.0% |
| Take medicine |
5.6% |
| Use a massage chair |
4.6% |
| Use magnetic seals |
3.9% |
| Use wellness products |
3.5% |
| Get acupuncture, moxibustion |
3.2% |
| Change bedding |
3.1% |
| Wear magnetic accessories |
3.0% |
| Use aroma oil |
1.5% |
| Eat foods good for stiff shoulders, back pain |
1.3% |
| Other |
3.3% |
| Don’t do anything in particular (to Q7) |
11.0% |
| No answer (to Q7) |
2.3% |
Q6: Which of the measures from Q5 are actually effective? (Sample size=those with pain, multiple answer)
| Stretch |
35.5% |
| Take a bath |
18.0% |
| Use hot, cold compress |
16.6% |
| Go to a massage parlour, chiropracter, etc |
15.1% |
| Do exercise |
14.3% |
| Get a massage from family member |
13.6% |
| Don’t keep the same posture |
12.3% |
| Go to a hot spring |
5.2% |
| Rub in some pain killer |
4.8% |
| Go to hospital |
4.2% |
| Take medicine |
3.7% |
| Correct my posture |
3.7% |
| Use a massage chair |
2.4% |
| Get acupuncture, moxibustion |
2.2% |
| Use magnetic seals |
2.2% |
| Change bedding |
1.8% |
| Take a supplement |
1.8% |
| Wear magnetic accessories |
1.1% |
| Use wellness products |
1.0% |
| Use aroma oil |
0.5% |
| Eat foods good for stiff shoulders, back pain |
0.4% |
| Other |
2.4% |
| Nothing is effective |
10.1% |
| No answer |
9.8% |
Q7: How much care do you take of your day-to-day health? (Sample size=13,808)
| Take lots of care |
26.5% |
| Take some care |
63.6% |
| Don’t take much care |
8.9% |
| Take no care at all |
0.9% |
Read more on: health,
katakori,
myvoice
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