Aim. The study aim was to determine the prevalence of neck, shoulder, and low-back pains and to explore the factors associated with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) among medical students at university hospitals in central Saudi Arabia. Method. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a government institution using an online self-administered, modified version of the Standardised Nordic Questionnaire in the English language. Results. A total of 469 students responded to our survey. The prevalence of MSP in at least one body site at any time, in the past week, and in the past year was 85.3%, 54.4%, and 81.9%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with MSP in at least one body site at any time were being in the clinical year (P=0.032), history of trauma (P = 0.036), history of depressive symptoms (P<0.001), and history of psychosomatic symptoms (P<0.001). On multivariable regression analysis, factors associated with MSP were history of trauma (P=0.016) and depressive (P=0.002) or psychosomatic symptoms (P=0.004). Conclusion. MSP among Saudi medical students is high, particularly among those in the clinical years and those with history of trauma and with depressive or psychosomatic symptoms. Medical institutions should be aware of this serious health issue and preventive measures are warranted.

Our aim was to assess sleep quality in different subgroups of preclinical medical students, and then to identify specific lifestyle factors, academic and social factors as well as Corona virus related factors that were associated with poor sleeping quality and poor psychological health. Study participants were all medical students at King Saud University of Medical Sciences in the first and second years (648 students), and the study was conducted from December 2021 to January 2022. We administered the survey on paper as well as online. We used three types of questionnaires in this study. The first was a self-administered questionnaire, the second was a validated Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) for finding sleeping problems, and the third was a validated DASS 10 for determining Depression, Anxiety, and Stress. A total of 361 pre-clinical medical students consisted of 146 (40.4%) males and 215 (59.5%) females. The majority of the students, 246 (68.1%), were in their second year. Furthermore, in the current study, students who had poor academic performance (15.8%), satisfactory academic performance (21.3%), or good academic performance (30.7%) had significant sleeping problems found (χ² = 19.4; p = 0.001), among them poor academic performance students 21.6%, satisfactory academic performance students (29.3%), and good academic performance students (29.3%) had moderate to severe levelled sleeping problems. Similarly, poor, satisfactory, and good academic performers experienced the highest levels of anxiety (poor = 21.5%; satisfactory = 22.1%; and good = 22.8%); stress (poor = 22.4%; satisfactory = 25.2%; and good = 22.4%); and depression (poor = 40.5%; satisfactory = 40.5%; and good = 11.9%). The majority of students (64.8%) reported that during the pandemic crisis their anxiety levels were high. Additionally, students reported significantly high sleeping issues (χ² = 10.6; p = 0.001) and also serious psychological issues (Anxiety = 34.9 (0.000); Stress = 32.5 (0.000); and Depression = 5.42 (0.01)). There was a high prevalence of sleep issues, anxiety, stress, and depression among the pre-clinical medical students, with significantly higher sleeping disorders, anxiety, stress, and depression levels among those medical students who struggle with their academic performances, poor lifestyle factor, and poor Social and COVID management.

Background. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are considered one of the most common health issues in working population and have a high social and economic impact. This study is aimed at determining the MSD patterns and associated risk factors among higher education academicians in Saudi Arabia. Methods. A cross‐sectional study was conducted among higher education academicians, randomly selected from different universities within Saudi Arabia. A sample of 207 academicians participated in the present study from different faculties such as nursing, applied medical sciences, pharmacy, dentistry, computer science, science, and engineering for a period of 1 year. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ‐E) was used to assess the MSD patterns and prevalence for the different parts of the body regions, and the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (DMQ) was used to determine the physical risk factors associated with the working conditions in the higher academic occupations. Descriptive statistics and the Pearson chi‐squared test were used for data analysis. Results. The overall prevalence rate was 42.5%, and the pattern of body parts involved was almost similar on both study variables, i.e., descending from the lower back (31.9%), followed by the neck (26.1%), knees (21.3%), shoulder (16.9%), upper back (13%), ankle and foot (10.1%), wrist and hand (7.2%), and elbow (6.3%), and the least common observed region was the hip and thigh (2.4%). The physical risk factors and its association with the body regions based on DMQ related to workload, period of use, and repetitive movements were observed in the wrist and hand (43%), followed by the neck (42%) and trunk (21%). Conclusion. The study demonstrated that the MSDs are lower among the higher academic occupations. However, the most common MSDs observed in this group of subjects are the back, neck, and knee pain, and it is found that some of the lifetime physical activities also have a significant association with these involved body regions.

Supermarket cashiers face a significant amount of stress, including time constraints, mental pressure, and physical demands that require repetitive movements. The job description of a supermarket cashier involves work-related risk factors that may lead to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) symptoms. This study aimed to investigate supermarket cashiers to determine the prevalence of MSD symptoms and their quality of life. Data were collected from a convenience sample of supermarket cashiers working in Saudi Arabia. Information included direct questions on pain in the previous 12 months, demographic data, and health- or occupation-related factors. Moreover, data was collected based on the 36-item short form survey (SF-36), and descriptive statistics were computed. A total of 193 supermarket cashiers participated in this study. The sample included 140 men (72.5%) and 53 women (27.5%), with a mean age of 27.2 ± 6.4 years. The majority of the participants (90%) had MSD symptoms in at least one body region, with the neck (66.84%) and lower back (65.80%) constituting the most prominent regions. The mean SF-36 scores were higher in participants without pain compared to participants with pain in all domains, except for the physical functioning domain. The high prevalence of MSD symptoms among young cashiers suggest the need for additional investigations to determine the risk factors of these disorders. Additionally, this study recommends preventive procedures to reduce the prevalence of MSD symptoms among cashiers.

Shortening of the hamstring muscles is a common problem in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. Low back pain and injury caused by postural deficits might be caused by an imbalance of this muscle. The various degrees of hamstring muscle stiffness and its impact on trunk postures are relatively unknown. The goal of this study was to see how different hamstring muscle length (HML) ranges influenced lumbar lordotic angle (LLA). Sixty asymptomatic healthy male and female subjects with a mean age of 40.4±9.2 years and a body mass index of 25.5± 2.2 kg/m² participated in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n=20) with hamstring muscle lengths of 111-120 degrees, 121-130 degrees, or 131-140 degrees, respectively by using a random number generator. The LLA was estimated on a lateral lumbosacral radiograph using the Kinovea application, and hamstring muscle length was measured using the active knee extension test at the university’s rehabilitation centre within a week of subject selection. The Pearson correlation test was used to examine the relationship between LLA and HML, and one-way ANOVA was used to compare the two groups. The correlation coefficients were expressed using 95% confidence intervals. A significant relationship between LLA and HML was observed in 111-120 degrees and 121-130 degrees groups (P130 degrees group had no influence on LLA (P>0.05). The findings show that hamstring muscle tightness between 111 and 130 degrees has a negative impact on lumbar curvature mechanisms. As a result, hamstring muscle tightness less than 130 degrees should be addressed first in clinical stretching programs for patients. The findings also suggest that instead of focusing on HML, rehabilitation specialists should devote more time to other high-priority interventions, particularly in patients with hamstring muscle lengths greater than 130 degrees.

Objectives: Physical fatigue and quality of life (QoL) characteristics in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients may or may not be influenced by long-term complications such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between muscle fatigability and QoL concerns in patients with T2DM with or without DPN.Methods: This study included sixty male and female subjects with an average age of 56±6.6 years from a diabetic screening clinic. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy (T2DMPN), patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus without peripheral neuropathy (T2DM), and healthy control subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n=20). To assess fatigue, quality of life (QoL), and disability in all groups, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Short Form survey (SF-36), and Modified Neuropathy Disability Score (MNDS) were used.Results: FSS and QoL, particularly Physical Component Summary (PCS), were statistically significantly affected in T2DMPN patients as compared to T2DM patients and healthy controls (p0.05). Both the healthy control and T2DM groups exhibited nearly identical levels of FSS and QoL, as well as PCS and MCS (p>0.05).Conclusions: T2DM with DPN has a significant impact on fatigability and QoL. This could be because of T2DM's pathological consequences and diabetic management in each demographic cohort. According to the findings, further efforts are needed to prevent or minimize deterioration in physical performance and QoL in T2DMPN patients.