Objective: Non-specific/chronic musculoskeletal disorder in neck, head or low back (that we called Upper Disorders; UD) are widely common health problem in high-income, urban, and industrialized countries, especially for sedentary people who use electronic devices. This systematic review aims to analyse the association between UD and psychological disease.
Method: The database searches were conducted in 8 different databases, using relevant keywords. According to PRISMA Statements, full-text peer-reviewed articles in English which analysed the association between UD and indicators of psychological disease (i.e., mood disturbance, anxiety, depression, stress, social support, and alexithymia) in non-clinical sample were included.
Results: Of 8798 abstracts and titles, 10 full-text papers were included. The overall results showed a strong association between UD and mood disturbance, anxiety, depression, stress, alexithymia, and low social support. Thus, high levels of UD were associated with high levels of psychological disease.
Conclusions: The results supported the assessment of physical and psychological symptoms in a holistic perspective. Their implications in terms of holistic care and text neck syndrome were discussed.
Keywords: head; holistic care; low back; neck; psychological disease; text neck syndrome.
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