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Background <p>Undergraduate physiotherapy students are uniquely exposed to early clinical and academic stressors that may contribute to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Despite growing global attention to ergonomic risks among healthcare workers, research on physiotherapy students in India remains limited.</p> Objective <p>This study aimed to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and evaluate associated ergonomic risk factors among final-year undergraduate physiotherapy students in India.</p> Methods <p>A prospective observational study was conducted with 132 final-year physiotherapy students recruited using convenience sampling. The NASA Task Load Index, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Borg CR10 Scale, the Workstyle Questionnaire (Short Form), and the Time-Based Assessment Computerized Strategy (TACOS) were used to gather data for ergonomic evaluation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using Jamovi software.</p> Results <p>The overall prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was 82.6%. The most commonly reported musculoskeletal symptoms over the past 12&#xa0;months were pain in the lower back (60.6%), shoulders (56.1%), and neck (33.3%). Notably, 42.4% of participants reported activity limitation due to lower back pain. Over the past 7&#xa0;days, 36.4% of individuals experienced lower back pain, with similar trends observed in other regions. Based on the Borg CR10 scale, 44.7% of students rated their exertion as very light, 47.7% as light to somewhat hard, and 3.0% as hard, with 0.7% as very hard. More than half (52.3%) of the participants exhibited adverse workstyle patterns, while 95.5% had high NASA-TLX workload scores. Ergonomic workplace analysis revealed that all participants engaged in high-risk postures, with 81.06% categorized as being in the critical risk range per TACOs scores. The most frequent high-risk activities included trunk flexion greater than 60° (71.3%) and lifting objects weighing more than 15&#xa0;kg (60.1%). Despite the high prevalence of symptoms, 79.5% of students had never sought medical consultation.</p> Conclusion <p>A significant proportion of final-year physiotherapy students exhibit musculoskeletal symptoms and are exposed to several ergonomic risk factors. The findings highlight an urgent need for integrating practical ergonomic training, ergonomic workplace analysis, workload management strategies, and early intervention systems into physiotherapy education. These measures are essential to safeguard students’ health and ensure sustainable professional performance.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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An Observational Study on Musculoskeletal Health and Ergonomic Risk Factors Among Final-Year Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月16日

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  • Sampriti Kalita,
  • Deepak Sharan,
  • Summiya Javeed

摘要

Background

Undergraduate physiotherapy students are uniquely exposed to early clinical and academic stressors that may contribute to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Despite growing global attention to ergonomic risks among healthcare workers, research on physiotherapy students in India remains limited.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and evaluate associated ergonomic risk factors among final-year undergraduate physiotherapy students in India.

Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted with 132 final-year physiotherapy students recruited using convenience sampling. The NASA Task Load Index, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Borg CR10 Scale, the Workstyle Questionnaire (Short Form), and the Time-Based Assessment Computerized Strategy (TACOS) were used to gather data for ergonomic evaluation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using Jamovi software.

Results

The overall prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was 82.6%. The most commonly reported musculoskeletal symptoms over the past 12 months were pain in the lower back (60.6%), shoulders (56.1%), and neck (33.3%). Notably, 42.4% of participants reported activity limitation due to lower back pain. Over the past 7 days, 36.4% of individuals experienced lower back pain, with similar trends observed in other regions. Based on the Borg CR10 scale, 44.7% of students rated their exertion as very light, 47.7% as light to somewhat hard, and 3.0% as hard, with 0.7% as very hard. More than half (52.3%) of the participants exhibited adverse workstyle patterns, while 95.5% had high NASA-TLX workload scores. Ergonomic workplace analysis revealed that all participants engaged in high-risk postures, with 81.06% categorized as being in the critical risk range per TACOs scores. The most frequent high-risk activities included trunk flexion greater than 60° (71.3%) and lifting objects weighing more than 15 kg (60.1%). Despite the high prevalence of symptoms, 79.5% of students had never sought medical consultation.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of final-year physiotherapy students exhibit musculoskeletal symptoms and are exposed to several ergonomic risk factors. The findings highlight an urgent need for integrating practical ergonomic training, ergonomic workplace analysis, workload management strategies, and early intervention systems into physiotherapy education. These measures are essential to safeguard students’ health and ensure sustainable professional performance.

Graphical Abstract