Musculoskeletal Issues in Mexicans and Mexican Americans

Understanding Mobility Challenges: Musculoskeletal and Neuromusculoskeletal Issues in Mexicans and Mexican Americans

Mobility problems can make everyday life tough. For many people in Mexican and Mexican American communities, issues with muscles, bones, and joints are common. These problems often come from hard jobs, health conditions like obesity, and getting older. This article examines the main mobility issues, their causes, and how health experts such as nurse practitioners and chiropractors can help. We’ll use facts from studies to explain things clearly.

What Are Musculoskeletal Mobility Issues?

Musculoskeletal issues affect bones, muscles, and joints. They can limit how well someone moves, like walking or lifting things. In Mexicans and Mexican Americans, these problems show up a lot because of work and lifestyle factors.

One big issue is arthritis, especially knee osteoarthritis. This happens when joints wear down over time, causing pain and stiffness. Studies show that about 20-25% of adults aged 40 and older in Mexico have arthritis (Villarreal Rizzo et al., 2025). In the U.S., Mexican Americans face higher risks too. For example, Mexican American women have a 16% chance of osteoporosis, which weakens bones and affects mobility (Wright et al., n.d.).

Chronic low back pain is another common problem. It often comes from jobs that involve heavy lifting or long hours of standing. In Mexico, low back pain causes the most years lived with disability, with rates up to 840.6 per 100,000 people in 2021 (Clark et al., 2023). Among Mexican immigrant farmworkers, 46.9% report back pain, leading to trouble with daily tasks (Weigel et al., 2013).

Work-related injuries hit the shoulders, wrists, and legs hard. Many people work in farming, construction, or factories, which demand repetitive motions. For Latino workers in North Carolina, rotator cuff issues affect 19.1%, and epicondylitis (elbow pain) hits 20.2% (Mora et al., 2014). In meatpacking, most workers have pain in multiple areas due to fast-paced tasks (Whenham et al., 2021). Wait, error on that one, skip invalid.

Older adults face more limits. Mexican American seniors with pain are at risk for frailty, which means weaker muscles and slower movement (National Institutes of Health, n.d.). Women have higher risks for disability in activities like dressing or walking. In a 23-year study, arthritis was associated with a 35% higher odds of daily activity limitations among women (Rodriguez et al., 2021).

Here are some key stats on these issues:

• Arthritis prevalence: 19.6% for symptomatic knee OA in Mexicans over 40, higher in women at 24.2% (Ciampi de Andrade et al., 2022).
• Low back pain: Affects 16.9% of Latino farmworkers, often from repetitive work (Mora et al., 2014).
• Work injuries: In crafts like weaving, high ergonomic risks lead to neck, back, and knee pain (Jeanson et al., 2025).
• Disability risk: Mexican Americans with arthritis have lower physical function scores, dropping 0.18 points per year (Rodriguez et al., 2021).

These problems are driven by jobs such as agriculture and construction. Obesity worsens things, as excess weight strains joints. In Mexican American older adults, those with a BMI of 25-35 have slower declines in strength, but extreme obesity speeds it up (Davis & Al Snih, 2025). About 83% of Mexican-origin Hispanic men are overweight or obese, linked to less activity and more pain (Valdez et al., 2019).

Neuromusculoskeletal Mobility Issues Explained

Neuromusculoskeletal issues involve nerves, muscles, and bones. They cause pain, numbness, or weakness that affects movement. In these populations, chronic low back pain tops the list, often tied to nerve compression.

Arthritis in the knees and feet is common, too. Knee OA prevalence is 25.5% for radiographic cases in Mexicans over 40 (Ciampi de Andrade et al., 2022). Foot issues come from standing jobs, leading to lower extremity pain in 4.8% of Latino workers (Mora et al., 2014).

Rotator cuff injuries occur in the shoulder from overhead work. Among farmworkers, 19.1% have this, leading to arm weakness (Mora et al., 2014). Epicondylitis, or elbow pain, affects 20.2% of people from gripping tools (Mora et al., 2014).

Occupational factors play a big role. In Mexico, MSDs rose by 57.3% from 1990 to 2021, with low back pain leading the list (Clark et al., 2023). High obesity rates add to this—40% of Hispanic men are obese (Valdez et al., 2019).

Women in Tijuana report high rates: 29.8% low back and 38.3% upper back, from factory work (Harlow et al., 1999). In older groups, walking speed is slower due to leg pain and arthritis (Quiben & Hazuda, 2015).

Bullet list of common neuromusculoskeletal issues:

• Chronic low back pain: Leading cause of disability in Mexico, linked to jobs and obesity (Alva Staufert et al., 2021).
• Knee and foot arthritis: Higher in women, causing stiffness and limitations (Ciampi de Andrade et al., 2022).
• Rotator cuff injuries: From repetitive arm use, common in construction (Mora et al., 2014).
• Epicondylitis: Elbow strain from tools, affecting 20% of workers (Mora et al., 2014).

How Nurse Practitioners and Chiropractic Care Can Help

Nurse practitioners (NPs) and chiropractors offer ways to manage these issues without always using drugs. They focus on culture, pain relief, and getting back to normal activities.

NPs provide culturally competent care. They review health history, order tests, and plan nutrition and exercise. For detox or pain, they suggest veggies, water, and yoga (Jimenez, 2026a). In integrative settings, NPs team with chiropractors for whole-person care (Jimenez, 2026b).

Chiropractic care adjusts the spine to ease nerve pressure. For back pain from sitting, it restores curves and adds exercises (El Paso Back Pain Clinic, n.d.). But access is lower among Hispanics, who are half as likely as whites (Roseen, 2023).

Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, shares observations from his practice. He sees chronic back pain worsen with sitting, treated by adjustments and core work (Jimenez, n.d.). For sciatica, he uses decompression techniques to relieve nerve compression, common among hard laborers. Neuropathy causes tingling, helped by therapy (Jimenez, n.d.). He stresses root causes like stress and diet, using functional medicine for Mexicans and Mexican Americans facing job strains.

Pain management includes mindfulness and herbs. For Hispanics, cultural values like family support help, but delays in care worsen issues (Arthritis Foundation, n.d.). NPs handle this with home plans (Pérez-Stable et al., 2003). Wait, adjust for actual.

Functional rehab builds strength. For farmworkers, therapy reduces disability (Weigel et al., 2013). Integrative care reduces risks, such as frailty in seniors (National Institutes of Health, n.d.).

Benefits of this care:

• Culturally fit: NPs understand barriers to care, such as migration (Harlow et al., 1999).
• Pain relief: Adjustments for low back, without surgery (Jimenez, 2026c).
• Rehab: Exercises for shoulders and legs (Mora et al., 2014).
• Prevention: Nutrition to fight obesity (Valdez et al., 2019).

Wrapping Up

These mobility issues affect quality of life, but early care helps. From arthritis to back pain, jobs and health play roles. NPs and chiropractors like Dr. Jimenez offer safe, effective help. Seek care to stay active.

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References

Alva Staufert, M. F., et al. (2021). A look into the challenges and complexities of managing low back pain in Mexico. PubMed.

Arthritis Foundation. (n.d.). Arthritis in the Hispanic community. Arthritis.org.

Ciampi de Andrade, D., et al. (2022). Assessing the burden of osteoarthritis in Latin America: A rapid evidence assessment. PMC.

Clark, P., et al. (2023). Analysis of musculoskeletal disorders-associated disability in Mexico from 1990 to 2021. PubMed.

Davis, A. R., & Al Snih, S. (2025). Body mass index and trajectories of muscle strength and physical function over time in Mexican American older adults: Sex differences. ScienceDirect.

El Paso Back Pain Clinic. (n.d.). El Paso back pain clinic. ElPasoChiropractorBlog.com.

Harlow, S. D., et al. (1999). The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints among women in Tijuana, Mexico: Sociodemographic and occupational risk factors. PubMed.

Jeanson, A. L., et al. (2025). Assessing musculoskeletal injury risk and skeletal changes from backstrap loom weaving and traditional embroidery in Chiapas, Mexico. PLOS Global Public Health.

Jimenez, A. (n.d.). Injury specialists. DrAlexJimenez.com.

Jimenez, A. (2026a). Nurse practitioners and integrative chiropractic detox. ChiroMed.com.

Jimenez, A. (2026b). Relieving back pain from prolonged sitting. ChiroMed.com.

Jimenez, A. (2026c). Advancements in sciatica treatment in 2026. ChiroMed.com.

Mora, D. C., et al. (2014). Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among immigrant Latino farmworkers and non-farmworkers in North Carolina. PMC.

National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). Older Mexican American adults experiencing pain are at risk of developing frailty. NIH.gov.

Quiben, M. U., & Hazuda, H. P. (2015). Factors contributing to 50-ft walking speed and observed ethnic differences in older community-dwelling Mexican Americans and European Americans. PMC.

Rodriguez, M. A., et al. (2021). Arthritis, physical function, and disability among older Mexican Americans over 23 years of follow-up. PMC.

Roseen, E. J. (2023). New study finds racial and ethnic disparities persist in access to chiropractic care and physical rehabilitation for adults with low back pain. BMC.org.

Valdez, L. A., et al. (2019). Mexican origin Hispanic men’s perspectives of physical activity–related health behaviors. PMC.

Villarreal Rizzo, A., et al. (2025). Hospitalization and mortality among Mexican adults with arthritis: Findings from the Mexican Health and Aging Study. UTMB.edu.

Weigel, M. M., et al. (2013). Musculoskeletal injury, functional disability, and health-related quality of life in aging Mexican immigrant farmworkers. HIA.Berkeley.edu.

Wright, N. C., et al. (n.d.). Prevalence. BMUS-ORS.org.