Prevalence of Neck, Upper Back and Chest Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Medical Students in Ebonyi State

Abstract

Patterns of musculoskeletal symptoms have been reported among student populations. The prevalence of neck, upper back and chest musculoskeletal symptoms was studied among medical students. A 23-point questionnaire was distributed to the students. 247 were returned and analyzed. Results showed that 83.4% reported symptoms of musculosketal pains in the neck (46.6%), upper back (42.7%) and chest (25.7%). There was no correlation between their occurrence and age, sex and working hours. Only chest pain was related to type of chair used by students (P-0.036). These results suggest that there is a relatively high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among medical students, which is related to stress and postural discomfort. Efforts should be made by medical schools to improve on the quality of learning environment and incorporate ergonomic principles to the medical curriculum.