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

Coaching institutes attract students aspiring for admission to professional courses and jobs. Physical stress during coaching includes poor study posture and sitting on chairs improperly in overcrowded classes for prolonged periods. Many students attending the coaching institutes report to outpatient clinics of multiple specialties with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD).

We carried out a cross-sectional study of 500 coaching students. We ascertained the 12-month MSD (period prevalence) and last 7-day MSD (point prevalence) using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. The duration of attending classes, hours of daily study, and duration of sitting continuously at a stretch were also enquired.

A total of 488 responses were retrieved. Males and females accounted for 63.9% and 36.1%, respectively. The respondents' mean age was 18.6 ± 1.06 years; mean body mass index was 21.4; mean duration of attending classes was 15.6 ± 7.66 months; mean hours of daily study were 4.78 ± 1.71 hours; mean duration of sitting continuously at a stretch was 2.2 hours. The overall prevalence of MSD was 87.1%. The mean frequency of MSD per participant was 2.6. Most participants reported pain in the neck region and lower back (43%), followed by ankle/foot (36%), followed by upper back (32%), followed by shoulder (28%); knee, elbow, and wrist/hand were lesser than 20%, while hip/thigh pain was the least common symptom (8%).

This study serves to sensitize the medical community to this largely under-reported problem in young individuals who are in the phase of life preparing for their future career while inadvertently risking their long-term health in the process.