Aims:To describe the exercise, physical fitness and musculoskeletal health of nursing students.Background: Nursing students are prone to musculoskeletal disorders restricting work ability. Physical fitness and leisure-time exercise may affect responses to workplace exposures and risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Design:A cross-sectional study. Method:Between August 2013 and April 2015, a convenience sample of 111 nursing students performed submaximal exercise tests. Nursing work, exercise and musculoskeletal health were surveyed and analysed descriptively.Results: Students' mean age was 30.0 years, 89.2% were female and 20.0% worked in nursing while studying. Highest annual prevalence of musculoskeletal trouble was in low back (45.6%), neck (32.0%) and shoulder (18.5%) regions. Most exercised regularly but did not meet weekly cardiorespiratory, resistance, neuromotor and flexibility exercise recommendations and had poor to average fitness levels. Approximately 40% were overweight or obese; 26.1% had risk for obesity-related disease. Conclusions:Interventions to improve nursing students' physical condition before entering the nursing workforce appear warranted. Impact: Imbalance between physical work capacity and demanding workloads increases musculoskeletal disorder risk amongst undergraduate nursing students. A large proportion studied reported recent musculoskeletal trouble (particularly low back, neck and shoulder). They exhibited modifiable characteristics of overweight/ obese, poor fitness and inadequate leisure-time exercise, predisposing them to workrelated musculoskeletal disorders. Undergraduate preparation should raise nursing students' health literacy about physical fitness and ways to achieve it, for their | 2111 PUGH et al.

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