Correlation Between Low Back Pain Among Medical Students and Prolonged Unhealthy Sitting with E-learning During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: During the Covid-19 pandemic, Saudi Arabia instructed all institutions to deliver online educational activities. Distance e-learning emerged as an alternative to traditional education. E-learning involves long hours of sitting which can lead to postural problems and a series of health issues, including low back pain among medical students. This study is aimed to identify the correlation between low back pain and prolonged sitting during e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic among medical students in Prince Sattam Ibn Abdulaziz University at Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey study that was conducted in the medical college at Al-Kharj, Saudi. The self administered structured online questionnaire consisted of 25 questions. The survey consisted of four parts including a consent page, demographic data, history of low back pain and patterns and attitude of participant’s towards devices and positioning during the process. Results: A total of 188 participants were enrolled in the study showing that 39.7% of medical students at the university experienced low back pain during the e-learning period. The duration of pain was less than 30 minutes in 52% of the participants. The pain aggravated with prolonged sitting in 74.7% of the students and was relieved by rest in 8 % . We observed that 86.8% of the sample did not stretch in between lectures. However, correlation studies between low back pain, body mass index and exercise were non-significant. Conclusions: The prevalence of LBP during e-learning among medical students was 39.7%. However, there was no significant risk factors that affected the occurrence of low back pain. This research should be expanded to other Saudi medical schools to get a broader assessment.