Prevalence of Low Back Pain among Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Background. Low back pain (LBP) is a major cause of disability and the most common work-related musculoskeletal disorder among physiotherapists. This study examined the prevalence of low back pain among students undergoing training to become physiotherapists. Methods. Participants were 207 undergraduate clinical physiotherapy students at three universities in Nigeria. A modified version of a questionnaire used in a previous study was utilized to obtain demographic, educational activities, and LBP data. Prevalence of LBP was examined with descriptive statistics while factors associated with prevalence were explored using chi-square statistics. Results. More male students (53.1%) and those in the penultimate year of study (53.1%) participated in the study. Lifetime, 12-month, 1-month, and 7-day prevalence of LBP were 45.5%, 32.5%, 17.7%, and 11.5%, respectively. Prevalence of LBP was not significantly associated with any of the demographic variables. Educational activities, namely, “having techniques practiced on self for ≤10 hours” and “treating patients for ≥30 hours,” a month prior to the study were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with higher 1-month and 7-day LBP prevalence, respectively. Conclusions. Although the prevalence of LBP was comparatively low, its association with educational activities emphasizes the need to incorporate effective LBP preventive strategies in the training of physiotherapy students.

Evaluation of the Ergonomic Properties of Seats in Two Selected Faculties of Nigerian University

“…This mismatch is likely to cause hip and back pains among students as indicated in the study by Kumar,[20]. Second, insufficient lumbar support results in sitting with a round back, which if prolonged have been known to cause non-specific low back pain [5]. Finally, poor desk to seat ratiocreates an uncomfortable distance between the seat and desk, forcing the student to lean forward in attempt to use the desk, sustained usage in this position often results in forward head posture [21][22][23][24][25].…”

“…As a result, students are prone sitting on the edge of the chair to assess the table as a result of increased length between the seat and desk [21]. Absence of lumbar support also resulted in sitting with a round back and have been known to cause muscle imbalance with a number of other lower and upper back issues [5,26]. Notably, the furniture in both faculties lack flexibility, since the desks are permanently attached to the chairs.…”

“…Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are one of the most pervasive occupational hazards and are frequently encountered with improper postures such as prolonged sitting of about two hours without intermittent standing [4]. Since a student on the average spends about seven to ten hours sitting in a day, and approximately 15,000 hours sitting during school years [5], it is no wonder that studies have proven that MSDs are commonly found in students as well as other occupations [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Ergonomics deals with fitting work or study environment to the worker or student in order to achieve maximum productivity and prevent health deficits.…”

The burden of low back pain among undergraduate physiotherapy students at the University of Zimbabwe: a cross-sectional study

“…Non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) is a major global burden indiscriminately affecting all people including physiotherapists [ 1 – 9 ]. Physiotherapists are at an increased risk of developing NSLBP due to the physical demands of the profession [ 7 , 10 – 15 ]. This is despite physiotherapists having expert knowledge about injury prevention from training [ 16 ].…”

“…Different studies have reported varying prevalence rates for NSLBP among physiotherapy students with lifetime prevalence figures ranging between 36 and 69% [ 7 , 10 , 12 , 17 ]. Also, Nyland and Grimmer [ 12 ] reported a 12-month prevalence of 63% in Australia.…”