Prevalence and associated factors with neck and low back pain in undergraduate students in a Brazilian University during the Covid-19 pandemic

Objective: To analyze the prevalence and factors associated with neck and low back pain in undergraduate students at the University of Brasília (UnB), Brazil, during remote activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional observational study carried out at a Brazilian university. Inclusion criteria: UnB students, of both genders, aged between 18 and 30 years who correctly answered a questionnaire and signed the consent form. Users were investigated for the presence of pain in one of these regions. Statistical analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS (Version 19.0.). The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results: A total of 412 individual responses were collected, 23 people did not report pain, 155 people reported neck pain and 234 reported low back pain. Symptoms caused by variables such as low back pain and neck pain, such as being female and remaining in a sitting position with the neck prostrate facing screens, as well as their effects on the activities carried out. Conclusion: Remote activities during the pandemic have been shown to have a negative impact on undergraduate students. Therefore, future research is needed to investigate these findings.