Self-related health, physical activity and musculoskeletal complaints in Swedish high school students

There is a positive correlation between physical activity and health. The aim of this study was to describe self-related health, sports, level of physical activity and possible musculoskeletal complaints among Swedish high school students and to analyze whether there were any differences in these aspects between gender and students from different high school programs.

A questionnaire was distributed and a total of 1,090 high school students answered it (468 males, 622 females), aged 16-26 years.

Students from theoretical programs reported better self-related health than students from practical programs. Females from practical programs reported poorer self-related health than other students. Physically active students reported better self-related health than less physically active students. Fifty-seven percent reported to be physically active in sport. Students from practical programs were less physically active than those from theoretical programs. Females from the practical programs were the least active ones. Fifty percent of the students reported complaints; the percentage was higher among females. There was no difference between students from theoretical and practical programs in terms of reporting complaints. Back and knee complaints were the most common ones.

According to these results it would be advisable for adolescents to be stimulated to participate in physical activity in order to increase the possibility of a healthy life.