Abstract
Background: University students are more susceptible to developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to long sitting time, poor posture, and a sedentary educational environment. These conditions typically manifest with neck, upper back, and lower back discomfort and may be affected by behavioral and psychological coping patterns.
Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MS pain among undergraduate students, their postural habits, and coping strategies.
Methods: The study was conducted through a cross-sectional study approach over three months for 344 undergraduate students of UMT Lahore. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection, such as Body Awareness of Postural Habits in Young People (Q-BAPHYP) and Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ). The subjects were aged 17-23 years and had a musculoskeletal complaint. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis using SPSS version 21.
Results: Most participants were female (63%) and were aged 17-22 years. The most frequently reported pain locations were the neck, upper back, and lumbar spine. The pain occurred suddenly in 55% of students. The most frequently used pain management strategy was stretching (44%), and 32% used none. While 51% of students indicated that they had adequate support for their backs in class, there was a high number of students (43%) showing poor postural habits in class that included forward leaning; 41% of students showed trunk-twisting postural habits, and 52% of students exhibited poor sitting posture with legs crossed. The same situation was seen at the home. Side-lying was the most common sleeping position (56%). The coping strategies most frequently reported were mostly adaptive, with praying (41%) and distraction techniques (35%).
Conclusion: Undergraduate students are a highly prevalent population of musculoskeletal pain, and poor sitting position and length of sitting time are both highly correlated with musculoskeletal pain. Although many students know what posture is, they still have bad posture habits. The study underlines the importance of correcting postures, providing training in ergonomics, and developing organized pain management strategies in educational environments