Low Back Pain in Medical Students and Professors During the Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study

Mattos, Arthur Fiorotto de; Lima, Natália Fortuny de; Wajchenberg, Marcelo; Martins, Delio Eulalio

doi:10.1055/s-0043-1771482

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Original Article • Rev bras ortop 58 (4) • Jul-Aug 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-1771482 copy

Low Back Pain in Medical Students and Professors During the Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study^* * Work developed in the Universidade AnhembiMorumbi, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of low back pain before and during the pandemic, comparing both periods.

Methods

A questionnaire was administered, containing questions about the presence of low back pain, sociodemographic characteristics and environmental factors that could be related to such pain.

Results

Among the 978 responses obtained, the prevalence of low back pain during the pandemic was 69.94%, which represented a significant increase over values from the pre-pandemic period (57.37%). A high prevalence of low back pain was found between all groups, especially among women. Some factors were associated with the incidence of low back pain, such as having previously diagnosed spinal problems and sedentary lifestyle.

Conclusions

The prevalence of low back pain increased significantly during the pandemic in the studied groups.

Keywords
low back pain; students; pandemics; prevalence; risk factors

	University 1 n(%)	University 2 n(%)	University 3 n(%)	Total(n%)
Students from 1st to 4th year	295 (35.49%)	250 (30.08%)	286 (34.43%)	831(100%)
Students from 5th and 6th year	19 (31.66%)	35 (58.33%)	6 (10.01%)	60 (100%)
Professors	70 (80.45%)	10 (11.49%)	7 (8.06%)	87 (100%)

	Professors n(%)	Students from 1st to 4th year n(%)	Students from 5th and 6th year n(%)	General n(%)
Low back pain before the pandemic
No	60 (68.97%)	376 (45.25%)	20 (33.33%)	456 (46.63%)
Yes	27 (31.03%)	455 (54.75%)	40 (66.67%)	522 (53.37%)
Low back pain during the pandemic
No	36 (41.38%)	237 (28.52%)	21 (35.00%)	294 (30.06%)
Yes	51 (58.62%)	594 (71.48%)	39 (65.00%)	684 (69.94%)

Variable		Low back pain				OR	CI (95%)	p Value
Variable		No n (%)		Yes n (%)		OR	CI (95%)	p Value
Group
	Professors	36	12,24%	51	7,46%	1	−	−
	Students (1st to 4th year)	237	80,61%	594	86,84%	1,77	1,12-2,77	0,013^* * = statistically significant.
	Students (5th to 6th year)	21	7,14%	39	5,70%	1,31	0,67-2,61	0,436
Gender
	Female	177	60,20%	547	79,97%	1	−	−
	Male	117	39,80%	137	20,03%	0,38	0,28-0,51	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.
Institution
	1	100	34,01%	284	41,52%	1	−	−
	2	114	38,78%	181	26,46%	0,56	0,4-0,77	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.
	3	80	27,21%	219	32,02%	0,96	0,68-1,36	0,834
Previous spinal problem
	No	263	89,46%	482	70,47%	1	−	−
	Yes	31	10,54%	202	29,53%	3,56	2,4-5,43	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.
Family history of spinal problems
	No	177	60,20%	314	45,91%	1	−	−
	Yes	117	39,80%	370	54,09%	1,78	1,35-2,36	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.
Sits correctly
	No	66	22,45%	255	37,28%	1	−	−
	Almost never	129	43,88%	323	47,22%	0,65	0,46-0,91	0,012^* * = statistically significant.
	Almost always	80	27,21%	98	14,33%	0,32	0,21-0,47	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.
	Yes	19	6,46%	8	1,17%	0,11	0,04-0,25	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.
Daily sleeping before the pandemic
	Less than 6 hours	74	25,17%	242	35,38%	1	−	−
	6-9 hours	216	73,47%	434	63,45%	0,61	0,45-0,83	0,002^* * = statistically significant.
	More than 9 hours	4	1,36%	8	1,17%	0,61	0,19-2,34	0,433
Daily sleeping during the pandemic
	Less than 6 hours	26	8,84%	127	18,57%	1	−	−
	6-9 hours	233	79,25%	464	67,84%	0,41	0,26-0,63	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.
	More than 9 hours	35	11,90%	93	13,60%	0,54	0,3-0,96	0,038^* * = statistically significant.
Alcohol consumption
	No	104	35,37%	270	39,47%	1	−	−
	Yes	190	64,63%	414	60,53%	0,84	0,63-1,11	0,227
Coffe consumption
	No	76	25,85%	202	29,53%	1	−	−
	Yes	218	74,15%	482	70,47%	0,83	0,61-1,13	0,242
Tabbaco cosumption
	No	283	96,26%	661	96,64%	1	−	−
	Yes	11	3,74%	23	3,36%	0,9	0,44-1,93	0,767
Physical exercise before the pandemic
	No	88	29,93%	213	31,14%	1	−	−
	Yes	206	70,07%	471	68,86%	0,94	0,7-1,27	0,707
Physical exercise during the pandemic
	No	84	28,57%	282	41,23%	1	−	−
	Yes	210	71,43%	402	58,77%	0,57	0,42-0,76	<0,001^* * = statistically significant.

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[1] Address for correspondence Arthur Fiorotto de Mattos, Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, Rua Dr. Almeida Lima, 1.134, Mooca, 01310-200, São Paulo, SP, Brazil (e-mail: arthurfiorotto@gmail.com).

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Low Back Pain in Medical Students and Professors During the Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study* * Work developed in the Universidade AnhembiMorumbi, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Low Back Pain in Medical Students and Professors During the Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study^* * Work developed in the Universidade AnhembiMorumbi, Sao Paulo, Brazil.