CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 43Restless Legs Syndrome ResearchSleep and related disordersPain Mechanisms and Treatments

Musculoskeletal pain is associated with restless legs syndrome in young adults

Open access
Hoogwout, Stijn J., Paananen, Markus V., Smith, Anne J., Beales, Darren J., O’Sullivan, Peter B., Straker, Leon M., Eastwood, Peter R., McArdle, Nigel +1 more·2015·BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
DOI 10.1186/s12891-015-0765-1PMC PMC4607251
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In recent years, there is considerable evidence of a relationship between the sensorimotor disorder restless legs syndrome (RLS) and pain disorders, including migraine and fibromyalgia. An association between multi-site pain and RLS has been reported in adult women. In the current study, we explored the association between musculoskeletal (MSK) pain and RLS in a large cohort of young adults. METHODS: Twenty two year olds (n = 1072), followed since birth of part of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study, provided data on MSK pain (duration, severity, frequency, number of pain sites). RLS was considered present when 4 diagnostic criteria recommended by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group were met (urge to move, dysaesthesia, relief by movement, worsening symptoms during the evening/night) and participants had these symptoms at least 5 times per month. Associations between MSK pain and RLS were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression with bias-corrected bootstrapped confidence intervals, with final models adjusted for sex, psychological distress and sleep quality. RESULTS: The prevalence of RLS was 3.0 % and MSK pain was reported by 37.4 % of the participants. In multivariable logistic regression models, strong associations were found between RLS-diagnosis and long duration (three months or more) of MSK pain (odds ratio 3.6, 95 % confidence interval 1.4-9.2) and reporting three or more pain sites (4.9, 1.6-14.6). CONCLUSIONS: Different dimensions of MSK pain were associated with RLS in young adults, suggestive of shared pathophysiological mechanisms. Overlap between these conditions requires more clinical and research attention.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1186/s12891-015-0765-1

Cites

7 of 7 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Associations between restless leg syndrome and FM were identified, positively associated with both pain severity and the number of pain sites.

    “Associations between restless leg syndrome and FM were identified, positively associated with both pain severity and the number of pain sites.”

    From A Review of Movement and Functional Impairments in Fibromyalgia: Implications for Targeted Treatment (2025) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Background reports an association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and fibromyalgia. It separately says that an association between RLS and multi-site pain in middle-aged women increased with pain severity and the number of pain sites. The paper does not establish that this severity-and-site pattern applies specifically to fibromyalgia; its own study examined musculoskeletal pain more generally (Discussion, “MSK pain and RLS”; page numbers unavailable). (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Functional dysregulation of dopaminergic circuitry was suggested as a common underlying pathway, and may account for comorbid depressive symptoms and anxiety disorders.

    “Functional dysregulation of dopaminergic circuitry was suggested as a common underlying pathway, and may account for comorbid depressive symptoms and anxiety disorders.25”

    From A Review of Movement and Functional Impairments in Fibromyalgia: Implications for Targeted Treatment (2025) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Discussion (MSK pain and RLS; page unavailable) suggests that altered dopamine metabolism helps explain associations among restless legs syndrome, musculoskeletal pain, and depression. It does not extend that proposed pathway to anxiety disorders, so that part of the claim is unsupported. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Deficits in fine motor tasks, such as manual dexterity, reflect broader impairments in sensorimotor integration but may also be associated with dopamine dysregulation.

    “Deficits in fine motor tasks, such as manual dexterity, reflect broader impairments in sensorimotor integration2 but may also be associated with dopamine dysregulation.25”

    From A Review of Movement and Functional Impairments in Fibromyalgia: Implications for Targeted Treatment (2025) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Discussion section on MSK pain and RLS links altered dopamine metabolism to restless legs syndrome, musculoskeletal pain, and depression. It does not link dopamine dysregulation to deficits in fine motor tasks or manual dexterity, which is the relationship the citing sentence attributes to this source. The separate sensorimotor-integration clause carries a different citation. (LLM, conf=0.78)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 52

  1. [2]Allen RP Walters AS Montplaisir J Hening W Myers A Bell TJ Restless legs syndrome prevalence and impact: REST general population study Arch Intern Med 2005 165 11 1286 92 10.1001/archinte.165.11.1286 15956009 · DOI · Paper page
  2. [3]Allen RP Stillman P Myers AJ Physician-diagnosed restless legs syndrome in a large sample of primary medical care patients in western Europe: prevalence and characteristics Sleep Med 2010 11 1 31 7 10.1016/j.sleep.2009.03.007 19464949 · DOI
  3. [4]Yilmaz K Kilincaslan A Aydin N Kor D Prevalence and correlates of restless legs syndrome in adolescents Dev Med Child Neurol 2011 53 1 40 7 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2010.03796.x 20875044 · DOI
  4. [5]Turkdogan D Bekiroglu N Zaimoglu S A prevalence study of restless legs syndrome in Turkish children and adolescents Sleep Med 2011 12 4 315 21 10.1016/j.sleep.2010.08.013 21339085 · DOI
  5. [6]Picchietti D Allen RP Walters AS Davidson JE Myers A Ferini-Strambi L Restless legs syndrome: prevalence and impact in children and adolescents--the Peds REST study Pediatrics 2007 120 2 253 66 10.1542/peds.2006-2767 17671050 · DOI
  6. [7]Pearson VE Allen RP Dean T Gamaldo CE Lesage SR Earley CJ Cognitive deficits associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS) Sleep Med 2006 7 1 25 30 10.1016/j.sleep.2005.05.006 16198145 · DOI
  7. [8]Lee HB Hening WA Allen RP Kalaydjian AE Earley CJ Eaton WW Restless legs syndrome is associated with DSM-IV major depressive disorder and panic disorder in the community J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 2008 20 1 101 5 10.1176/jnp.2008.20.1.101 18305292 · DOI
  8. [9]Pullen SJ Wall CA Angstman ER Munitz GE Kotagal S Psychiatric comorbidity in children and adolescents with restless legs syndrome: a retrospective study J Clin Sleep Med 2011 7 6 587 96 22171196 PMC3227703
  9. [10]Winkelmann J Prager M Lieb R Pfister H Spiegel B Wittchen HU “Anxietas tibiarum”. Depression and anxiety disorders in patients with restless legs syndrome J Neurol 2005 252 1 67 71 10.1007/s00415-005-0604-7 15654556 · DOI · Paper page
  10. [11]Winter AC Berger K Glynn RJ Buring JE Gaziano JM Schurks M Vascular risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and restless legs syndrome in men Am J Med 2013 126 3 228 35 10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.06.039 23410563 PMC3574273 · DOI
  11. [12]Winter AC Schurks M Glynn RJ Buring JE Gaziano JM Berger K Vascular risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and restless legs syndrome in women Am J Med 2013 126 3 220 7 10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.06.040 23410562 PMC3574635 · DOI
  12. [13]Winkelman JW Shahar E Sharief I Gottlieb DJ Association of restless legs syndrome and cardiovascular disease in the Sleep Heart Health Study Neurology 2008 70 1 35 42 10.1212/01.wnl.0000287072.93277.c9 18166705 · DOI
  13. [14]Schurks M Winter A Berger K Kurth T Migraine and restless legs syndrome: a systematic review Cephalalgia 2014 34 10 777 94 10.1177/0333102414537725 25142142 · DOI
  14. [15]Stehlik R Arvidsson L Ulfberg J Restless legs syndrome is common among female patients with fibromyalgia Eur Neurol 2009 61 2 107 11 10.1159/000180313 19065057 · DOI
  15. [16]Viola-Saltzman M Watson NF Bogart A Goldberg J Buchwald D High prevalence of restless legs syndrome among patients with fibromyalgia: a controlled cross-sectional study J Clin Sleep Med 2010 6 5 423 7 20957840 PMC2952743
  16. [17]Stehlik R, Ulfberg J, Hedner J, Grote L. High prevalence of restless legs syndrome among women with multi-site pain: a population-based study in Dalarna, Sweden. Eur J Pain. 2014;3. 24700622
  17. [18]Dauvilliers Y Winkelmann J Restless legs syndrome: update on pathogenesis Curr Opin Pulm Med 2013 19 6 594 600 10.1097/MCP.0b013e328365ab07 24048084 · DOI
  18. [19]Beales DJ Smith AJ O’Sullivan PB Straker LM Low back pain and comorbidity clusters at 17 years of age: a cross-sectional examination of health-related quality of life and specific low back pain impacts J Adolesc Health 2012 50 5 509 16 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.09.017 22525116 · DOI
  19. [20]Straker LM Hall GL Mountain J Howie EK White E McArdle N Rationale, design and methods for the 22 year follow-up of the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study BMC Public Health 2015 15 663 10.1186/s12889-015-1944-6 26169918 PMC4501054 · DOI
  20. [21]Linton SJ Hallden K Can we screen for problematic back pain? A screening questionnaire for predicting outcome in acute and subacute back pain Clin J Pain 1998 14 3 209 15 10.1097/00002508-199809000-00007 9758070 · DOI
  21. [22]Li Y Munger KL Batool-Anwar S De Vito K Ascherio A Gao X Association of multiple sclerosis with restless legs syndrome and other sleep disorders in women Neurology 2012 78 19 1500 6 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182553c5b 22539566 PMC3345617 · DOI
  22. [23]Benediktsdottir B Janson C Lindberg E Arnardottir ES Olafsson I Cook E Prevalence of restless legs syndrome among adults in Iceland and Sweden: lung function, comorbidity, ferritin, biomarkers and quality of life Sleep Med 2010 11 10 1043 8 10.1016/j.sleep.2010.08.006 20961808 · DOI
  23. [24]Buysse DJ Reynolds CF 3rd Monk TH Berman SR Kupfer DJ The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research Psychiatry Res 1989 28 2 193 213 10.1016/0165-1781(89)90047-4 2748771 · DOI · Paper page
  24. [26]Civelek GM Ciftkaya PO Karatas M Evaluation of restless legs syndrome in fibromyalgia syndrome: an analysis of quality of sleep and life J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil 2014 27 4 537 44 10.3233/BMR-140478 24867908 · DOI
  25. [27]Champion D The common pain disorders of childhood without disease: commonalities and adult implications 2014 Leura Abstracts of the Faculty of Pain Medicine Conference; Australian and New Zealand Anaesthesists
  26. [28]Ligthart L Visscher CM van Houtem CM Geels LM Vink JM de Jongh A Comorbidity among multiple pain symptoms and anxious depression in a Dutch population sample J Pain 2014 15 9 945 55 10.1016/j.jpain.2014.06.007 24981129 · DOI
  27. [29]Gureje O Comorbidity of pain and anxiety disorders Curr Psychiatry Rep 2008 10 4 318 22 10.1007/s11920-008-0051-0 18627670 · DOI
  28. [30]Kato K Sullivan PF Evengard B Pedersen NL Chronic widespread pain and its comorbidities: a population-based study Arch Intern Med 2006 166 15 1649 54 10.1001/archinte.166.15.1649 16908799 · DOI
  29. [32]Li Y, Mirzaei F, O'Reilly EJ, Winkelman J, Malhotra A, Okereke OI, et al. Prospective study of restless legs syndrome and risk of depression in women. Am J Epidemiol. 2012;176(4):279-288. PMC3491969 22805376
  30. [33]Cho SJ Hong JP Hahm BJ Jeon HJ Chang SM Cho MJ Restless legs syndrome in a community sample of Korean adults: prevalence, impact on quality of life, and association with DSM-IV psychiatric disorders Sleep 2009 32 8 1069 76 19725258 PMC2717197
  31. [35]Bjornsdottir SV Jonsson SH Valdimarsdottir UA Mental health indicators and quality of life among individuals with musculoskeletal chronic pain: a nationwide study in Iceland Scand J Rheumatol 2014 43 5 419 23 10.3109/03009742.2014.881549 24814312 · DOI
  32. [36]Sutton BC Opp MR Sleep fragmentation exacerbates mechanical hypersensitivity and alters subsequent sleep-wake behavior in a mouse model of musculoskeletal sensitization Sleep 2014 37 3 515 24 24587574 PMC3920317
  33. [39]Montplaisir J Boucher S Poirier G Lavigne G Lapierre O Lesperance P Clinical, polysomnographic, and genetic characteristics of restless legs syndrome: a study of 133 patients diagnosed with new standard criteria Mov Disord 1997 12 1 61 5 10.1002/mds.870120111 8990055 · DOI
  34. [40]Ondo WG Vuong KD Wang Q Restless legs syndrome in monozygotic twins: clinical correlates Neurology 2000 55 9 1404 6 10.1212/WNL.55.9.1404 11087794 · DOI
  35. [41]Freeman AA Rye DB The molecular basis of restless legs syndrome Curr Opin Neurobiol 2013 23 5 895 900 10.1016/j.conb.2013.07.001 23896312 · DOI
  36. [42]Buskila D Sarzi-Puttini P Biology and therapy of fibromyalgia. Genetic aspects of fibromyalgia syndrome Arthritis Res Ther 2006 8 5 218 10.1186/ar2005 16887010 PMC1779444 · DOI
  37. [43]Vehof J Zavos HM Lachance G Hammond CJ Williams FM Shared genetic factors underlie chronic pain syndromes Pain 2014 155 8 1562 8 10.1016/j.pain.2014.05.002 24879916 · DOI
  38. [44]Williams FM Spector TD MacGregor AJ Pain reporting at different body sites is explained by a single underlying genetic factor Rheumatology (Oxford) 2010 49 9 1753 5 10.1093/rheumatology/keq170 20525736 PMC2919198 · DOI
  39. [46]Skouen JS Smith AJ Warrington NM O’Sullivan PB McKenzie L Pennell CE Genetic variation in the beta-2 adrenergic receptor is associated with chronic musculoskeletal complaints in adolescents Eur J Pain 2012 16 9 1232 42 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2012.00131.x 22416031 · DOI
  40. [47]Hornyak M Scholz H Kohnen R Bengel J Kassubek J Trenkwalder C What treatment works best for restless legs syndrome? Meta-analyses of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic medications Sleep Med Rev 2014 18 2 153 64 10.1016/j.smrv.2013.03.004 23746768 · DOI
  41. [48]Connor JR Wang XS Allen RP Beard JL Wiesinger JA Felt BT Altered dopaminergic profile in the putamen and substantia nigra in restless leg syndrome Brain 2009 132 Pt 9 2403 12 10.1093/brain/awp125 19467991 PMC2732265 · DOI
  42. [49]Earley CJ Connor JR Beard JL Malecki EA Epstein DK Allen RP Abnormalities in CSF concentrations of ferritin and transferrin in restless legs syndrome Neurology 2000 54 8 1698 700 10.1212/WNL.54.8.1698 10762522 · DOI
  43. [51]Wood PB Patterson JC 2nd Sunderland JJ Tainter KH Glabus MF Lilien DL Reduced presynaptic dopamine activity in fibromyalgia syndrome demonstrated with positron emission tomography: a pilot study J Pain 2007 8 1 51 8 10.1016/j.jpain.2006.05.014 17023218 · DOI
  44. [52]Roy A Karoum F Pollack S Marked reduction in indexes of dopamine metabolism among patients with depression who attempt suicide Arch Gen Psychiatry 1992 49 6 447 50 10.1001/archpsyc.1992.01820060027004 1376107 · DOI
  45. [53]Holman AJ Myers RR A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of pramipexole, a dopamine agonist, in patients with fibromyalgia receiving concomitant medications Arthritis Rheum 2005 52 8 2495 505 10.1002/art.21191 16052595 · DOI · Paper page
  46. [54]Aiken CB Pramipexole in psychiatry: a systematic review of the literature J Clin Psychiatry 2007 68 8 1230 6 10.4088/JCP.v68n0810 17854248 · DOI
  47. [55]O’Sullivan P Waller R Wright A Gardner J Johnston R Payne C Sensory characteristics of chronic non-specific low back pain: a subgroup investigation Man Ther 2014 19 4 311 8 10.1016/j.math.2014.03.006 24731602 · DOI
  48. [56]Woolf CJ Central sensitization: implications for the diagnosis and treatment of pain Pain 2011 152 3 Suppl S2 15 10.1016/j.pain.2010.09.030 20961685 PMC3268359 · DOI · Paper page
  49. [57]Stiasny-Kolster K Pfau DB Oertel WH Treede RD Magerl W Hyperalgesia and functional sensory loss in restless legs syndrome Pain 2013 154 8 1457 63 10.1016/j.pain.2013.05.007 23707286 · DOI
  50. [58]Allen RP Burchell BJ MacDonald B Hening WA Earley CJ Validation of the self-completed Cambridge-Hopkins questionnaire (CH-RLSq) for ascertainment of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in a population survey Sleep Med 2009 10 10 1097 100 10.1016/j.sleep.2008.10.007 19195928 · DOI
  51. [59]Hening WA Allen RP Washburn M Lesage SR Earley CJ The four diagnostic criteria for Restless Legs Syndrome are unable to exclude confounding conditions (“mimics”) Sleep Med 2009 10 9 976 81 10.1016/j.sleep.2008.09.015 19185537 PMC2769267 · DOI
  52. [60]Aukerman MM Aukerman D Bayard M Tudiver F Thorp L Bailey B Exercise and restless legs syndrome: a randomized controlled trial J Am Board Fam Med 2006 19 5 487 93 10.3122/jabfm.19.5.487 16951298 · DOI

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Hoogwout, S. J., Paananen, M. V., Smith, A. J., Beales, D. J., O’Sullivan, P. B., Straker, L. M., Eastwood, P. R., McArdle, N., & Champion, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Groningen (NL)
  • Oulu University Hospital (FI)
  • Curtin University (AU)
  • The University of Western Australia (AU)
Corresponding author
Hoogwout, Stijn J.
ORCID
Venue
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2015-10-14
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
294-294
ISSN
1471-2474 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12891-015-0765-1
PMC
PMC4607251
OpenAlex
W1950058165
Cited by
43
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2
FWCI
2.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Jan Kornelis de Cock Stichting
  • Raine Medical Research Foundation (1027449)
  • Women and Infants Research Foundation
  • Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
  • Curtin University of Technology
  • Edith Cowan University
  • University of Twente
  • Medical Research Council
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (1021858, 1027449, 1022134, 1044840)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Restless Legs Syndrome Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
Keywords
restless legs syndrome, musculoskeletal pain, young adults, pain duration, number of pain sites, shared pathophysiology, Raine Study, pregnancy cohort, sleep quality, psychological distress
MeSH terms
Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Restless Legs Syndrome, Western Australia, Prevalence, Young Adult, Musculoskeletal Pain

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review