Musculoskeletal disorders and associated risk factors in coaching students: A cross-sectional study

Sports-Related Musculoskeletal Injuries in Medical Students

Background

Little attention is paid to the problem of sports-related injuries in amateur or nonathletes or recreational student athletes. We investigated the prevalence of sports-related musculoskeletal (MSK) injuries in medical students and attempted to identify the risk factors for these injuries.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire-based observational study on medical students of a tertiary care teaching hospital in central India. A total of 500 medical students were approached; the questionnaire consisted of details, such as age, gender, height, weight, predominant sport played or the sport during which they sustained an injury, estimated time spent playing every week, if they had undergone any formal training for the sport, any preexisting MSK condition, details of the injury and the treatment taken, if any, after joining medical school, and duration from getting injured to return to studies and sports. The odds ratio (OR) and logistic regression were calculated for multiple parameters. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05.

Results

Seventy-four of the 402 students who responded reported sustaining a sports-related injury; 33 and 41 students reported injury while playing contact and noncontact sports, respectively. Of these, 58 students reported that they had received formal training in sports. Football, volleyball, cricket, and kabaddi were the sports during which most injuries occurred. The injury rate was 3.7 per 1000 playing or practice hours.

Conclusions

Almost one-fifth of the students reported sustaining a sports-related MSK injury after joining medical school. The risk factors identified for these injuries were male gender, participation in team sports, participation in noncontact sports, and lack of adequate preparation or practice.

Relationship between behavioral and mood responses to monetary rewards in a sample of Indian students with and without reported pain

Physical pain has become a major health problem with many university students affected by it worldwide each year. Several studies have examined the prevalence of pain-related impairments in reward processing in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) countries but none of the studies have replicated these findings in a non-western cultural setting. Here, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of physical pain symptoms in a sample of university students in India and replicate our previous study conducted on university students in Switzerland, which showed reduced mood and behavioral responses to reward in students with significant pain symptoms. We grouped students into a sub-clinical (N = 40) and a control group (N = 48) to test the association between pain symptoms and reward processes. We used the Fribourg reward task and the pain sub-scale of the Symptom Checklist (SCL-27-plus) to assess physical symptoms of pain. We found that 45% of the students reported high levels of physical symptoms of pain and interestingly, our ANOVA results did not show any significant interaction between reward and the groups either for mood scores or for outcomes related to performance. These results might yield the first insights that pain-related impairment is not a universal phenomenon and can vary across cultures.

Prevalence of low back pain in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have investigated the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among Indian subjects, no meta-analysis has been conducted to determine the comprehensive epidemiological point, annual, lifetime prevalence of LBP among Indian subjects. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the point, annual, and lifetime prevalence of LBP in the Indian population. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant studies that reported point, annual, or lifetime prevalence of LBP among Indian subjects,. Pooled point, annual and lifetime prevalence rates were calculated. Meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis and publication bias assessment were performed. RESULTS: Ninety-seven studies were included in this review. Fifty-four studies included in the review (55.5%) were found to be of higher methodological quality. The pooled point, annual, and lifetime prevalence of LBP in India was 48% (95% CI 40–56%); 51% (95% CI 45–58%), and 66% (95% CI 56–75%), respectively. The pooled prevalence rates were highest among females, the rural population, and among elementary workers. CONCLUSION: The point, annual, and lifetime prevalence rates of LBP in the Indian population is higher compared to global and other ethnic populations affecting a large proportion of the population, especially among women, rural population and in elementary workers. The findings of this study can be the basis for formulating policy regarding the prevention and treatment of LBP in a large part of the global population.

Neck pain among undergraduate medical students in a premier institute of central India: A cross-sectional study of prevalence and associated factors

Context:

Competitive exams conducted for undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses in India are tough. The undergraduate course is additionally taxing to the students’ health. Lack of physical activity, the stress of studies, and universal adoption of different gadgets make the undergraduate medical students prone to develop musculoskeletal pain-related issues.

Aims:

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neck pain and the associated factors including gadget use among undergraduate medical students of a premier medical college in central India.

Settings and Design:

All undergraduate medical students including the interns of our institute were enrolled for this cross-sectional study.

Methods and Materials:

A self-explanatory internet-based questionnaire prepared using Kobo Toolbox was circulated via WhatsApp and email by the class representative of each batch of students. The responses obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

Statistical Analysis Used:

Proportions and means were calculated. Chi-square test and univariable logistic regression analysis were used.

Results:

Three hundred thirty-one valid responses out of 423 responses were analyzed. In total, 58.3% of 331 students suffered from neck pain within the last one year. Students in the 3^rd and 4^th year had 2.9 times higher odds of current neck pain in comparison to 1^st-year students. History of neck pain before joining the course was associated with a higher risk of having current neck pain. Self-perceived aggravation of pain from gadget use had significantly higher odds of contributing to the current episode of neck pain.

Conclusions:

Neck pain is not uncommon among undergraduate medical students. History of previous neck pain including that during schooling makes a student prone for the current episode of pain. Academic stress, smartphone and laptop use tend to aggravate the pain in those who have neck pain.