Tenderness and Pain in Neck and Shoulders in Relation to Type a Behaviour

158 male employees in the metal industry, aged 35-44 years, were examined to determine the prevalence of tenderness and pain in the neck and shoulders. Type A behaviour was assessed by a series of 16 questions. One or more tender sites were found in 30% and more than three in 7% of the examined employees. Tenderness was twice as common among those with interview-based pain in the past 12 months (40%) as among those without pain (23%). Those with tenderness on palpation more often had a type A behaviour than those without tenderness (p = 0.010). The association was modified by pain but not by occupation. One explanation for the association between tenderness and behaviour might be that type A personality is associated with increased muscle activity in the neck and shoulders leading to muscular fatigue and tenderness.