{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T13:33:18Z","timestamp":1792503198603,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,28]],"date-time":"2025-08-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756339200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Majmaah University","award":["R-2025-1954"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["R-2025-1954"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Several studies have examined the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) among university students internationally. We aimed to assess the prevalence, pattern, and potential risk factors for MSP among Majmaah University students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to students from different faculties at Majmaah University. We collected data via the validated Arabic versions of the Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore associations between MSP and demographic, ergonomic, lifestyle, and psychosocial variables. Results: A total of 257 students (n = 195, 75.9% female; n = 62, 24.1% male) were included in this study. The 12-month prevalence of MSP was 225 (87.5%), with the lower back (n = 119, 46.3%) and neck (n = 113, 44.0%) regions being the most affected. Compared with male students, female students reported a higher MSP prevalence (90.3% vs. 79.0%, p = 0.035). The multivariable model was significant (likelihood-ratio \u03c72 = 26.042, df = 7, p &lt; 0.001), accounted for Nagelkerke R2 = 0.182 of variance, and showed good calibration (Hosmer\u2013Lemeshow \u03c72 = 8.505, df = 8, p = 0.386). Perceived stress was the only independent predictor of 12-month MSP (\u03b2 = 0.084, adjusted OR = 1.087, 95% CI 1.034\u20131.143, Wald \u03c72 = 10.732, p = 0.001), while sex, smoking, academic workload, and sleep duration were non-significant (all p &gt; 0.127). Conclusions: MSP appears to be prevalent among Majmaah University students, with psychological stress emerging as a key independent risk factor. Preventive strategies should include stress management prioritization and ergonomic and physical activity education to support university student well-being.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14176076","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,28]],"date-time":"2025-08-28T09:31:12Z","timestamp":1756373472000},"page":"6076","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Musculoskeletal Pain Among University Students and Its Correlations with Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9442-5960","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sultan Ayyadah","family":"Alanazi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8272-674X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Faizan Zaffar","family":"Kashoo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Al Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"646","article-title":"Burden of major musculoskeletal conditions","volume":"81","author":"Woolf","year":"2003","journal-title":"Bull. World Health Organ."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e062183","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2022-062183","article-title":"Global burden of musculoskeletal disorders and attributable factors in 204 countries and territories: A secondary analysis of the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study","volume":"12","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1007\/s40122-021-00235-2","article-title":"Management of Musculoskeletal Pain: An Update with Emphasis on Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain","volume":"10","author":"Nalamasu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Pain Ther."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1462","DOI":"10.1136\/annrheumdis-2013-204680","article-title":"The global burden of other musculoskeletal disorders: Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study","volume":"73","author":"Smith","year":"2014","journal-title":"Ann. Rheum. Dis."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1524","DOI":"10.4103\/jfmpc.jfmpc_1659_23","article-title":"Musculoskeletal disorder prevalence and its correlation with stress in medical students: A cross sectional survey","volume":"13","author":"Alsulaihebi","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1933","DOI":"10.1007\/s11136-021-03035-5","article-title":"Physical activity and quality of life among college students without comorbidities for cardiometabolic diseases: Systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"31","author":"Abrantes","year":"2022","journal-title":"Qual. Life Res."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1142\/S1013702521500037","article-title":"Prevalence and patterns of musculoskeletal pain among undergraduate students of occupational therapy and physiotherapy in a South African university","volume":"41","author":"Ogunlana","year":"2021","journal-title":"Hong Kong Physiother. J."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gropper, H., John, J.M., Sudeck, G., and Thiel, A. (2020). The impact of life events and transitions on physical activity: A scoping review. PLoS ONE, 15.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0234794"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Garn, A.C., and Simonton, K.L. (2023). Prolonged Sitting in University Students: An Intra-Individual Study Exploring Physical Activity Value as a Deterrent. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 20.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph20031891"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Parto, D.N., Wong, A.Y.L., and Macedo, L. (2023). Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and associated risk factors in canadian university students. BMC Musculoskelet. Disord., 24.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12891-023-06630-4"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.4103\/ijpvm.IJPVM_436_18","article-title":"Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders and its Correlation to Physical Activity Among Health Specialty Students","volume":"10","author":"Hendi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.1186\/s12966-021-01191-y","article-title":"Musculoskeletal pain and sedentary behaviour in occupational and non-occupational settings: A systematic review with meta-analysis","volume":"18","author":"Dzakpasu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kandasamy, G., Almanasef, M., Almeleebia, T., Orayj, K., Shorog, E., Alshahrani, A.M., Prabahar, K., Veeramani, V.P., Amirthalingam, P., and Alqifari, S.F. (2024). Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among undergraduate students. Front. Med., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2024.1403267"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"98","DOI":"10.4103\/ijpvm.IJPVM_335_20","article-title":"Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorder and its Relation to Stress Among Medical Student at Taif University, Saudi Arabia","volume":"12","author":"Hendi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e25075","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2024.e25075","article-title":"A systematic review of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and risk factors among computer users","volume":"10","author":"Demissie","year":"2024","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.62004\/kpc.v3i2.40","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among undergraduate students","volume":"3","author":"Kamalia","year":"2024","journal-title":"Kinesiol. Physiother. Compr."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.msksp.2024.103102","article-title":"Cross-cultural adaptation, validation and psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire in office working population from Saudi Arabia","volume":"72","author":"Aldhabi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Musculoskelet. Sci. Pract."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"598","DOI":"10.4236\/health.2020.126045","article-title":"Weekly Physical Activity from IPAQ (Arabic) Recalls and from IDEEA Activity Meters","volume":"12","author":"Garashi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Health"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"777","DOI":"10.2147\/JMDH.S214456","article-title":"Preliminary psychometric properties of the Arabic version of Sheu and colleagues Perceived Stress Scale among nursing students at Jordanian universities","volume":"12","author":"Algaralleh","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Multidiscip. Healthc."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1453","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(07)61602-X","article-title":"The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: Guidelines for reporting observational studies","volume":"370","author":"Altman","year":"2007","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1112","DOI":"10.1152\/japplphysiol.00023.2004","article-title":"Metabolic equivalent: One size does not fit all","volume":"99","author":"Byrne","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Appl. Physiol. (1985)"},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Sjostrom, M., Ainsworth, B.E., Bauman, A., Bull, F.C., Hamilton-Craig, C.R., and Sallis, J.F. (2025, August 25). Guidelines for Data Processing and Analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)\u2014Short and Long Forms. Available online: https:\/\/api.semanticscholar.org\/CorpusID:79242415."},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"(2010). WHO Guidelines Approved by the Guidelines Review Committee. Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health, World Health Organization."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"uiaf028","DOI":"10.1093\/joccuh\/uiaf028","article-title":"Biopsychosocial and physical factors associated with firefighter musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review","volume":"67","author":"Kleis","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Occup. Health"},{"key":"ref_25","first-page":"98","article-title":"Associations between academic stressors, reaction to stress, coping strategies and musculoskeletal disorders among college students","volume":"23","author":"Ekpenyong","year":"2013","journal-title":"Ethiop. J. Health Sci."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"1235706","article-title":"The Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Neck, Shoulder, and Low-Back Pains among Medical Students at University Hospitals in Central Saudi Arabia","volume":"2017","author":"Algarni","year":"2017","journal-title":"Pain Res. Treat."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.2174\/1871524920999201214231243","article-title":"Neuroendocrine Response to Psychosocial Stressors, Inflammation Mediators and Brain-periphery Pathways of Adaptation","volume":"21","author":"Palego","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cent. Nerv. Syst. Agents Med. Chem."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"384","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinimag.2014.02.014","article-title":"Musculoskeletal manifestations of endocrine disorders","volume":"38","author":"Boswell","year":"2014","journal-title":"Clin. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Crettaz, B., Marziniak, M., Willeke, P., Young, P., Hellhammer, D., Stumpf, A., and Burgmer, M. (2013). Stress-induced allodynia-evidence of increased pain sensitivity in healthy humans and patients with chronic pain after experimentally induced psychosocial stress. PLoS ONE, 8.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0069460"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.1080\/00140139.2021.1974103","article-title":"The impaired healing hypothesis: A mechanism by which psychosocial stress and personal characteristics increase MSD risk?","volume":"65","author":"Gallagher","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ergonomics"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Grabara, M. (2025). Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among Polish white-collar workers: The role of physical activity and risk factors. Front. Public Health, 13.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1551728"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102934","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ergon.2020.102934","article-title":"The prevalence of neck pain and associated risk factors among undergraduate students: A large-scale cross-sectional study","volume":"76","author":"Chan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Ind. Ergon."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"734","DOI":"10.1080\/10803548.2020.1827561","article-title":"Prevalence of mobile device-related musculoskeletal pain among working university students: A cross-sectional study","volume":"28","author":"Legan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Occup. Saf. Ergon."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e119101320212","DOI":"10.33448\/rsd-v10i13.20212","article-title":"Relationship between obesity and musculoskeletal disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"10","author":"Fortunato","year":"2021","journal-title":"Res. Soc. Dev."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"H\u00e4mmig, O. (2020). Work- and stress-related musculoskeletal and sleep disorders among health professionals: A cross-sectional study in a hospital setting in Switzerland. BMC Musculoskelet. Disord., 21.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12891-020-03327-w"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zheng, L., Chen, X., Rong, X., Meng, Y., Jiao, L., Yan, D., and Cui, J. (2024). Influence of self-reported physical exercise on musculoskeletal pain among Chinese medical students. Sci. Rep., 14.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-77888-4"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dawod, M.S., Alswerki, M.N., Alelaumi, A.F., AlSamhori, J.F., Rahhal, R.J., Khraisat, L., Arabas, E.M., Bdair, H.M., Alhyari, R.M., and Shahin, M. (2025). Evaluation of musculoskeletal complaints, treatment approaches, and patient perceptions in family medicine clinics in a tertiary center in Jordan: A cross-sectional study. BMC Prim. Care, 26.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12875-025-02715-2"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.5271\/sjweh.4203","article-title":"Development of a gender-specific European job exposure matrix (EuroJEM) for physical workload and its validation against musculoskeletal pain","volume":"51","author":"Solovieva","year":"2025","journal-title":"Scand. J. Work. Environ. Health"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bonanno, M., Papa, D., Cerasa, A., Maggio, M.G., and Calabr\u00f2, R.S. (2024). Psycho-Neuroendocrinology in the Rehabilitation Field: Focus on the Complex Interplay between Stress and Pain. Medicina, 60.","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina60020285"}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/14\/17\/6076\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T18:34:15Z","timestamp":1760034855000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/14\/17\/6076"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,28]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"17","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm14176076"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm14176076","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-0383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,28]]}}}