Prevalence and Associated Factors of Musculoskeletal Pain in Students of Engineering and Humanities Faculties of Arak University in 2018-2019

Abstract

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of musculoskeletal pain in undergraduate students of Engineering and Humanities Faculties of Arak University in 1397-98. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study of 464 students (humanities, 169 and engineering, 295 people) with mean age (20.56+1.51 years), Body Mass Index (22.29±3.35 kg/m2)). Was done at the undergraduate level of Arak University in the 2018-2019 years. Nordic questionnaire to assess musculoskeletal pain during the last 7 days, 12 months as well as functional disorders during the last 12 months in the neck, shoulders, wrists and hands, back, lower back, pelvis, thighs, legs and ankles were examined. Ethical Considerations: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Research Projects of Hamadan University (Code: IR.BASU.REC.1398.013). Results: The highest prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was in the spine (63.4%) which is in the back (27.6%), neck (23.5%) and then shoulders (21.8%), respectively. In software and chemical engineering, neck, shoulder, wrist, and hand pain were most common due to computer work and study time per day. Back and lower back pain were very common in psychology and Quranic sciences due to inactivity and increasing Waist-Hip ratio. Conclusion: Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most serious problems in some fields of study in colleges, which can be found to reduce the complications by finding the causative factors and educating students.

Prevalence of Lower Back Pain in Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students in Lahore

“…The significant prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, specifically in the lower back region, among students in various disciplines, has been well-documented in previous research. Studies have shown that students in fields like engineering, humanities, sports, and physical education, often report high incidences of spine pain, including LBP, due to factors such as prolonged sitting and specific physical activities related to their field of study (13,15). In line with these findings, our study also underscores the impact of physical and lifestyle factors on LBP prevalence.…”

“…The total score is then expressed as a percentage, with higher scores indicating greater disability. Disability levels were categorized as minor (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14), modest (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24), severe (25-34), and complete (35-50). The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) has demonstrated good test-retest reliability, with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) ranging from 0.72 to 0.98, and a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.89, reflecting excellent internal consistency (10,11).…”