Lower Back Pain and Disability in Undergraduate Medical Students

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) related disability is a big concern among the general population, especially undergraduate medical students. This study aimed to evaluate LBP-related disability in undergraduate medical students. It was a cross-sectional survey conducted within the premises of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The data was collected using an online Oswestry LBP disability questionnaire. A sample of 300 students took part from the following colleges; Riphah University Islamabad and Margalla Institute of Health and Sciences Rawalpindi, Pakistan. There were 150 medicine students (MBBS) and 150 dental students (BDS). The disability index was calculated, and results showed that 205 students had a minimum disability, 79 had a moderate disability, 16 had a severe disability, and no participants fell into the crippled or bed-bound disability category. The results of the study demonstrate that the prevalence of mild LBP-related disability is high in undergraduate students of MBBS and BDS, which might affect the activities of daily life.