Are trajectories of neck-shoulder pain associated with sick leave and work ability in workers? A 1-year prospective study.

Objectives: The study aimed to determine the extent to which latent trajectories of neck-shoulder pain (NSP) are associated with self-reported sick leave and work ability based on frequent repeated measures over 1 year in an occupational population.

Methods: This longitudinal study included 748 Danish workers (blue-collar, n=620; white collar, n=128). A questionnaire was administered to collect data on personal and occupational factors at baseline.