Prevalence and factor associated work-related musculoskeletal disorders of students in virtual classroom

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and their associated factors among 1st to 4th-year students at Walailak University who attended virtual classrooms for 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 382 students aged 18–23 years with no history of musculoskeletal disease or psychiatric disorder who had at least three months of virtual classroom learning. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Most musculoskeletal abnormalities occurred in the shoulders, head and neck, and lower back at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months, respectively. At one week and one month in virtual classrooms, the occurrence of MSDs among the students was correlated with psychosocial factors (p < 0.05), and at three months, MSDs were associated with personal factors such as body mass index and psychosocial factors (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Stress management for students should be implemented in virtual classrooms to prevent MSDs.