Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain Among Medical Students at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

TL;DR

This study finds that over half of medical students at King Saud University experience musculoskeletal pain, with neck and lower back pain being most common.

Contribution

The study provides new prevalence data on musculoskeletal pain among Saudi medical students and identifies key associated factors like study level and gender.

Findings

54.3% of participants reported musculoskeletal pain, with lower back and neck being the most common sites.

Female students had a significantly higher pain prevalence (67.7%) compared to male students (40.0%).

First-year students reported less pain than those in higher academic years.

Abstract

Introduction: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is a significant issue among medical students. Its high incidence can be attributed to prolonged study hours, poor posture, and high academic stress in the medical field. Chronic MSP can have a profound impact on academic performance and future professional practice. The purpose of this research is to determine the prevalence of MSP among medical students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as MSP can interfere with academic performance.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study used a self-reporting questionnaire and a convenience sampling size of 1,000 participants (excluding those with MSP due to trauma and pregnant students). The questionnaire consisted of 38 items, including demographics, body mass index, smoking history, and pain characteristics. The data was processed and analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi-square test for independence, and a t-test.

Results: The study included 741 participants, with a mean age of 21.62 years (SD ± 1.7). More than half of the participants (54.3%) reported MSP. The most common pain sites were the lower back (38.6%) and neck (23.6%). Pain intensity was reported as mild in 12.8%, moderate in 34.8%, and severe in 2.8%. The study found significant associations between pain and study level (p = 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), and sitting position (p = 0.048). First-year students had significantly less pain compared to students in higher years. Female students reported higher pain prevalence (67.7%) than males (40.0%). No significant associations were observed with smoking, exercise habits, sleep hours, or stress levels.

Conclusion: This study suggests that factors such as posture, specific habits, and academic stress may contribute to the development of MSP among medical students and that effective strategies for prevention and management are necessary to optimize their health and well-being and prevent negative impacts on their academic and professional careers.

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