Musculoskeletal Pain and Discomfort in Final-Year Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This study evaluates musculoskeletal pain and discomfort among final-year physiotherapy and rehabilitation students.

Methods: Eighty-six students aged between 21 and 29 years enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The data was collected at Kütahya Health Sciences University in 2023-2024. An ergonomic risk assessment was conducted using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) based on digital photographs, while musculoskeletal pain and discomfort were measured with the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ).

Results: Based on the REBA score, 47.7% of students were categorized as medium risk and 29.1% as high risk. The CMDQ discomfort score was the highest in the upper back (34.50%), lower back (26.50%), and neck (21.04%) regions. A significant moderate correlation was found between CMDQ discomfort in the neck and REBA total score (r=0.333; P< .006), a low negative correlation with exercise habits (r=−0.269; P= .012), and a low positive correlation between CMDQ discomfort in the lower back and body mass index (BMI) (r= 0.284; P=.008).

Conclusion: The results indicate that 76.7% of final-year physiotherapy and rehabilitation students are at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders, with significant pain severity reported across all spinal regions. Given the associations between awkward posture, BMI, exercise habits, and musculoskeletal disorders, it is crucial to implement ergonomic working conditions, increase body awareness, promote correct body mechanics, and encourage regular physical activity to reduce pain and prevent cumulative trauma in the future.

Cite this article as: Çankaya Ö, Oğuz Gökçen S, Koyunoğlu T. Musculoskeletal pain and discomfort in final-year physiotherapy and rehabilitation students: A cross sectional study. Arch Health Sci Res. 2025; 12, 0192, doi: 10.5152/ArcHealthSciRes.2025.24192.