Hip Muscle Flexibility and Low Back Pain in First-Year Students
Author Information
Author(s): Abbas Janan, Reif Noa, Hamoud Kamal, Migliorini Filippo
Primary Institution: Zefat Academic College
Hypothesis
Is hip muscle lengthening associated with low back pain among first-year undergraduate students?
Conclusion
Increased hamstring flexibility and study-related stress are predictive factors for low back pain among first-year undergraduates.
Supporting Evidence
- 80% of participants had normal hamstring length.
- Females showed greater muscle flexibility than males.
- 46% of students reported experiencing low back pain.
- Logistic regression indicated that right hamstring length and study-related stress are associated with low back pain.
Takeaway
This study found that students with more flexible hamstrings might have a higher chance of experiencing low back pain, especially if they feel stressed about their studies.
Methodology
A descriptive study involving measurements of hamstrings and iliopsoas muscle lengthening and a questionnaire on low back pain.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may include recall and socioeconomic biases.
Limitations
The study had a small sample size from a single academic center and relied on self-reported questionnaires, which may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
70 students (13 males, 57 females) with a mean age of 25 years and a mean BMI of 23.7.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.033 for hamstring length and p = 0.013 for study-related stress.
Confidence Interval
95% CI for hamstring length: 1.003–1.069; for study-related stress: 1.330–11.063.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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