Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain among Nursing Students in a Tertiary Care Teaching Institution in South Kerala

Authors

• Ajas SN, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Mount Zion Medical College, Adoor, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India AND PhD Scholar, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry, IndiaFollow
• Nalam Middleton A, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, ESIC Medical College & PGIMSR, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
• Asha Raby N, Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Muthoot College of Allied Health Sciences, Kozhencherry, Kerala, India AND PhD Scholar, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry, India

Article Type

Article

Abstract

Background: Musculoskeletal pain (MSP) is a common occupational health concern among nursing students due to physically demanding academic and clinical training. This study assessed the prevalence, severity, and risk factors of MSP among nursing students in South Kerala. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Mount Zion Nursing College, Adoor, from March–June 2025. Universal sampling included all undergraduate nursing students (N = 198), with 175 participants (response rate: 88%). Data were collected using a self-administered online questionnaire incorporating the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 28 using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc tests, Chi-square/Fisher's exact tests, Pearson's correlation, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Participants were predominantly female (86.3%) and aged 17–23 years (98.3%). MSP prevalence was 68.6% in the past 12 months and 46.9% in the past 7 days, with multiple sites affected in 42.3%. Lower back pain was most common (34.3% in 12 months; 22.3% in 7 days), followed by neck (33.1%; 14.3%) and shoulder pain (21.1%; 11.4%). Recent pain severity was mild (52.4%), moderate (35.4%), severe (8.5%), and numbness (3.7%). High device use (98.3%), prolonged screen time ≥ 4 hours/day (29.1%), low exercise (28.0%), and frequent heavy lifting (45.7%) were common. No significant sociodemographic associations were observed. Screen time correlated with neck pain severity (r = 0.32, p = 0.01). Conclusion: MSP is highly prevalent among nursing students, particularly lower back pain. Ergonomic interventions and awareness programs are recommended.

Keywords

Musculoskeletal pain, Nursing students, Prevalence, Risk factors, Lower back pain, Ergonomic risk

Recommended Citation

SN, Ajas; A, Nalam Middleton; and N, Asha Raby (2026) "Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain among Nursing Students in a Tertiary Care Teaching Institution in South Kerala," Muthanna Medical Journal: Vol. 13: Iss. 2, Article 4.
Available at: https://muthmj.mu.edu.iq/journal/vol13/iss2/4

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.