Spinal pain

Background: Spinal pain (SP), encompassing low back, neck, and upper back discomfort, is a prevalent musculoskeletal problem among healthcare professionals and students. Clinical postings expose Basic Medical Sciences students to physically demanding tasks such as prolonged standing, awkward postures, and repetitive patient handling, predisposing them to SP. Despite its burden, limited research has examined its prevalence and associated factors among students across different health disciplines in Nigeria. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, pattern, contributing factors, coping strategies, and functional limitations related to spinal pain among Basic Medical Sciences students during clinical postings at the University of Benin. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 351 students from Physiotherapy, Nursing, Radiography, and Medical Laboratory Science departments. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, spinal pain prevalence (12-month and 7-day recall), and the Spinal Functional Index (SFI). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The 12-month prevalence of lower back pain, upper back pain, and neck pain was 51.9%, 12.5%, and 21.4%, respectively. Within the past 7 days, prevalence rates were 42.2%, 14.8%, and 17.1%. Physiotherapy and Nursing students reported the highest occurrence of spinal pain. Although 20.5% of respondents sought medical care or missed activities due to pain, most reported mild functional limitations (mean SFI = 4.57 ± 2.78). There was no significant relationship between age and functional limitation (r = –0.028, p = 0.597), or between posting hours and functional limitation (r = 0.104, p = 0.052). Gender showed no significant association with spinal pain prevalence. Conclusion: Spinal pain is highly prevalent among Basic Medical Sciences students during clinical postings, particularly among those in physiotherapy and nursing. The findings underscore the need for ergonomic education, workload management, and institutional policies that prioritize student musculoskeletal health. Keywords: Spinal pain, Basic Medical Sciences students, clinical postings, ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders. Low back pain, University of Benin.

Background: Spinal pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder globally and a major cause of disability among young adults, including university students. Factors such as sedentary lifestyle, prolonged sitting, poor posture and physical inactivity have been implicated. This study investigated the relationship between physical activity levels and spinal pain among students of
the school of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 356 undergraduate students of the School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin. Participants were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric indices, physical
activity levels and spinal pain prevalence were collected using standadized questionnaires. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation with significance set at p<0.05.

Results: The mean age of the respondents was 21.49 ± 2.22 years. Most participants (74.4%) engaged in physical activity, and the majority had moderate (45.5%) or high (37.9%) activity levels. The 12-month prevalence of lower back pain was 50.5%, neck pain 34.8% and upper back pain 27.5%. There was no significant association between physical activity level and the prevalence of spinal pain (p<0.05). However, gender showed a significant association with lower back pain (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Spinal pain, especially low back pain, is common among students of the School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Benin, irrespective of physical activity level. Preventive interventions focusing on posture, ergonomics and spinal health education are recommended.