Association of upper trapezius thickness and elasticity with neck pain in Chinese VDT operators: A cross-sectional study

Background Prolonged video display terminal (VDT) work has been associated with neck pain and abnormalities in the cervical spine and upper trapezius muscle. However, few studies have combined structural and functional assessments in this population. Objective To compare upper trapezius muscle thickness and elasticity between Chinese VDT operators with and without neck pain. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 103 Chinese VDT operators with neck pain identified through orthopedic screening examinations (OSE) and 190 age, sex, and body mass index matched participants without neck pain were enrolled. After anteroposterior and lateral radiographic examinations of the cervical spine, real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) was used to assess upper trapezius thickness and elasticity. Logistic regression was performed to examine the independent associations of cervical spine structure, upper trapezius thickness, and upper trapezius elasticity with neck pain status. Results Compared with participants without neck pain, those with neck pain showed significantly reduced thickness of the bilateral upper trapezius muscles ( P < 0.05) and significantly increased left-sided shear wave velocity (SWV) ( P = 0.013). In Logistic regression, left upper trapezius thickness was inversely associated with neck pain status (OR = 0.76, P = 0.024), whereas left-sided SWV was positively associated with neck pain status (OR = 4.64, P = 0.002). Conclusion This cross-sectional study found differences in upper trapezius thickness and elasticity among Chinese VDT workers with and without neck pain. Lower left trapezius thickness and higher left SWV were independently linked to neck pain. These findings only indicate observational correlations, not causal relationships.