[Site of 1st appearance of pain in primary arthrosis. Clinico-statistical studies in a thermal bath environment].

An investigation of the first site of joint pain in 3,419 subjects with primary arthrosis is reported. In both sexes, the lumbar region was by far the most common, followed by the neck, the knee, and other joints; marked and significant differences between males and females were noted. While the data do not clearly show that the first pain site and the first site of involvement are the same, it is felt that this is a fairly constant occurrence. Since bearing joints are concerned in the lumbar region and a psychosomatic site in that of the neck--this, in fact, is twice as frequent in women as in men, this constancy serves to bring into discussion the primary and secondary nature of arthrosis, at least in a certain number of cases.