DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOTHERAPY

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common among sedentary office workers. This study examined the correlation between physical activity levels and MSDs among nonacademic staff in the school of Basic Medical Sciences, UNIBEN.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving non-academic staff from the Departments of Physiotherapy, Radiography, Nursing, and Medical Laboratory Science at UNIBEN. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ-E) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-Short Form). Chi-square tests assessed the associations between physical activity
levels and the prevalence of MSDs.
Results: A cross-sectional study involving 25 non-academic staff members at UNIBEN examined the relationship between physical activity and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The majority of participants were female (16, 64%), with ages ranging from 30 to 59 years (mean: 43.36 ± 8.06). All participants reported experiencing musculoskeletal pain in various body regions, with neck pain being the most prevalent. Specifically, 18 respondents reported neck pain in the 12-month prevalence (72%), and 15 reported it in the 7-day prevalence (60%). While 52% (13) of participants had high physical activity levels, no significant relationship was found between physical activity levels and 12-month MSD prevalence. However, higher physical activity levels were associated with an increased 7-day prevalence of upper back pain (X²=6.851, p=0.033). Job
roles were not linked to 12-month MSD prevalence, but shoulder and hip pain showed significant associations with specific job roles over the past 7 days.
Conclusion: This study found a high MSD prevalence, with neck pain being the most common.
Physical activity was not related to long-term MSDs but correlated with upper back pain. Job roles were associated with shoulder and hip pain, highlighting the impact of ergonomic design.
Keywords: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), physical activity, sedentary behavior, university
of Benin.

Background: WMSDs are disorders/injuries sustained from job environment and work performance; they worsen or lasts longer as a result of the work environment.
Aim: The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and identify the preventive and coping strategies of WMSDs among physiotherapists in the south-south region of Nigeria.
Methods: Simple random sampling technique was used to select hospitals and physiotherapists in these hospitals were the respondents in this study. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the socio-demographic characteristics, prevalence of WMSDs on different regions of the body, risk factors of developing WMSDs, preventive measures and coping strategies of WMSDs among respondents; data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 26; descriptive and interferential statistics of Chi square was used to determine the association between the prevalence of WMSDs and the socio demographic characteristics of the respondents.
Results: This study showed 86.5% of WMSDs among respondents, working in the same position for a long period as a major risk factors contributing to WMSDs, ergonomic modification as a preventive measure of WMSDs and adjustment of plinths/bed as the major coping strategies adopted by respondents towards WMSDs.

Background: The number of persons suffering from low back pain will rise in the future, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The treatments available for low-back pain are not sufficient enough to cause an effective change in the long-term. Hence, there is a growing recognition of the need for a more comprehensive, patient-centered and behavioral-changing approach.
Objective: To determine the effectiveness of motivational interview on patients with low back pain.
Method: Included in this review were study population of adults aged 18 and above. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and Non-Randomized Controlled Trials (non-RCTs) that explored the effectiveness of Motivational Interview on Low Back Pain. A detailed search of 7 databases was conducted. Data were selected and extracted using the Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet 2010 version following the eligibility criteria. To assess the potential risk of bias in each study, two assessors independently assessed the eligible studies using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for parallel RCTs. A review protocol was developed and registered in the PROSPERO database (IDCRD42023444806). A narrative synthesis was used to present findings.
Results: 2 RCTs and 1 non-RCT was eligible from the narrative synthesis. Motivational interview
interventions included counselling, motivational programs and group/individual discussion sessions. Motivational interview had a significant effect on pain among patients with low back pain relative to the control interventions. All the studies had a good methodological quality.
Conclusion: Motivational Interview shows a beneficial effect in reducing low back pain and in increasing functional status in patients with low-back pain in comparison with other interventions used in the systematic review. However, current evidence is insufficient on the effect of motivational interview on pain in patients with low back pain. More large scale RCTs are needed to evaluate motivational interview on pain in patients with low back pain.
Keywords: Low back pain, motivational interview, quality of life, functional status.

BACKGROUND: The foot's functionality is crucial for maintaining balance, stability, and efficient movement. The arch index acts as an initial indicator of potential structural and functional anomalies, and can be used to assess the occurrence of pes planus and potentially predicting pathological foot conditions. AIM: The study aimed to determine the prevalence, types of pes planus among undergraduate students in the University of Benin. METHOD: This ex-post-facto study recruited 400 volunteers (200 males and 200 females) healthy undergraduate, aged between 17-30 years old. Footprints were collected using ink method, traced and selected foot dimensions were taken on the foot. Plantar arch index for each foot was calculated using Staheli’s plantar index method where the plantar index (PI) equals the ratio of central region (A) to heel region (B) (PI=A/B). Data collected were summarized using
descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, percentage and analysed using inferential statistics of independent T-test. Alpha level was set at 0.05. RESULT: The result showed the point prevalence of pes planus as 17% among this population. The study also identified significant differences in the prevalence of pes planus subtypes, with flexible pes planus (83.8%) being more prevalent than the rigid type (16.2%), and gender differences were observed in the plantar arch index (p<0.05), with males showing higher PI values compared to females. CONCLUSION: This study result found a low pes planus prevalence, in line with normal range with flexible more common than rigid type. Gender difference exist in arch index observed. RECOMMENDATION: Further research should be conducted on pes planus prevalence and
subtypes in diverse populations, considering factors such as ethnicity, age, weight, BMI, and geographical location. KEYWORDS: Pes planus, Flat foot, Plantar arch index

Background: The increasing population of older adults worldwide has heightened the demand for caregiving, especially in tertiary healthcare settings. Caregivers, both formal and informal,
face significant physical, emotional, and financial challenges. These burdens can negatively impact their quality of life (QoL) and increase the risk of depression, especially when caring for
hospitalized older adults with complex needs. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between care burden, QoL, and depression among caregivers in a tertiary health institution.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 80 primary caregivers of hospitalized older adults at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. Participants were
selected using convenience sampling and completed structured questionnaires, including the Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) to measure caregiver burden and the WHOQOL-HIV BREF to
assess quality of life across multiple domains. Descriptive statistics summarized sociodemographic variables, while Spearman’s rho analysis assessed the relationships between care burden, QoL, and depression. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Results: Of the 80 participants, 73.8% were female, and 61.3% were married. The mean age was 37.56 ± 11.36 years. The mean Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) score was 10.35 ± 1.65 out of a
maximum obtainable score of 13, indicating a high level of strain. QoL scores varied across domains, with the psychological health domain scoring the lowest (14.48 ± 2.37) and the level of
independence domain scoring the highest (15.38 ± 2.97). Spearman’s rho analysis revealed a negative correlation (rho =-0.027, p = 0.814) between care burden and total QoL and a negative but non-significant correlation (rho =-0.196, p = 0.081) between care burden and psychological health.
Conclusion: Caregivers of hospitalized older adults experience moderate levels of care burden, which influence specific domains of their quality of life, such as social relationships and
psychological health. However, no statistically significant relationships were found between care burden, overall QoL, and depression in this study. These findings suggest that while caregiving
presents challenges, coping mechanisms like spirituality may mitigate its negative impacts.
Targeted interventions are needed to enhance caregiver support systems, focusing on mental health, stress management, and social connections to improve caregivers’ overall well-being and quality of life.
Keywords: Care burden, quality of life, depression, caregivers, hospitalized older adults.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) remains a significant global health challenge, impacting individuals across all agegroups and socioeconomic strata. Despite advancements in physiotherapeutic interventions, the debate persists on the preference for manual therapy (MT) versus electrotherapy (ET) as adjuvants in managing LBP. This study evaluates the preferences of physiotherapists for MT or ET in the treatment of LBP within a tertiary health institution. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate physiotherapists' intervention preferences for manual therapy or electrotherapy in the treatment of low back pain. In addition, it also seeks to identify the factors that influence their intervention preference and to assess the implication of these intervention preferences on patients’ outcome and clinical practice in general Method: Utilizing a purposive sampling technique, data for this study was collected using the self-administered questionnaire adapted from the Pain Attitudes and Belief Scale for Physiotherapy (PABS-PT) questionnaire. 45 physiotherapists (57% female and 42% male) were recruited from seven (7) units completed the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics of mean, frequency and standard deviation were used to summarize the data. Result: 57.8% were female, while 42.2% were male .Most respondents (73.3%) were aged 18–29 years, indicating a young workforce with 91.1% having a Bachelor’s degree. 64.4% had less than one year of clinical experience, with only 8.9% practicing for more than 10 years. 55.6% reported frequent use of MT, 46.7% often used ET, while 26.7% always used it. 68.9% consistently utilized exercise therapy alongside MT and ET. 37.8% believed MT was the most effective for LBP, 51.1% considered ET an essential treatment component and majority (55.6%) factored clinical reasoning into their choice of therapy. The main barriers of utilization were, lack of equipment reported 80%., lack of time cited 54.5%, patients with iv comorbidities Identified by 66.7% and insufficient training noted by 57.8%. Treatment Approaches for LBP Only 15.6% preferred MT alone, while 13.3% favored ET alone treatment. The majority (55.6%) preferred combining MT and ET for better outcomes. Conclusion: The study highlighted that physiotherapists recognize the benefits of integrating MT and ET to address the multifactorial nature of LBP effectively. However, barriers such as lack of equipment and insufficient training limit optimal utilization.