Prolonged sitting and physical discomfort in university students

Abstract

The evolution of man promoted the adoption of the sitting position for prolonged periods, inducing biomechanical and physiological changes in the body. In an educational setting, adopting this posture can induce musculoskeletal disorders and physical discomfort associated or not with learning. Objective: To quantify and characterize prolonged sitting for college students and to correlate the time spent sitting with complaints of pain and/or discomfort. Method: A qualitative and quantitative study. Data collection done by a diary, where 47 participating college students reported the number of hours they spent sitting, their activities, pain and/or discomfort, and answered an open question about their observations on the study. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed with the Spearman correlation coefficient calculated between the two factors. The answers to the open question were categorized and grouped according to their frequency and similarity. Results: The students evaluated remained seated for long periods (13.4 SD 1.5 hours). Their perception of discomfort related to the furniture was relevant. Complaints of discomfort and/or pain may be related to prolonged sitting. The body parts with more complaints of pain were the head, neck, shoulders, and lumbosacral region. The longer they remained sitting, the greater the incidence of pain complaints. One cannot say that the pain causes or increases the stress level. Conclusion: The diary was a useful tool for data collection and served as an instrument of interference in self-observation and self-care. This study contributed to the understanding of how prolonged sitting affects college students and provided indicators for future interventions.

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Musculoskeletal pain in undergraduate health students: prevalence and associated factors

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