Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Associated Factors Among Qassim University Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is a widespread and incapacitating issue that impacts a considerable portion of the adult population. Medical students, physicians, and other healthcare professionals have a high incidence of LBP. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of LBP among medical students at two medical colleges in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods Participants in this online cross-sectional study were medical students in two medical colleges at Qassim University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire and the Oswestry Disability Index were sent through a social media platform. SPSS was used to analyze the data with a significance level of p < 0.05. Results The data of 350 medical school students were evaluated. Most participants were males (n = 180, 51.4%), 21 to 23 years old (n = 190, 54.3%), first-year medical students (n = 108, 30.9%), and in the basic medical education phase (n = 228, 65.3%). LBP prevalence was 82%. We found that 72.6% (n = 254) of participants did not exercise or participate in outdoor sports. More than half of the participants reported using a computer or laptop for fewer than eight hours per day. LBP was significantly associated with BMI (F = 3.457, p = 0.017) and computer use duration (T = 3.695, p < 0.001). LBP was not significantly associated with age (F = 0.892, p = 0.411) or gender (T = 1.566, p = 0.118). More than 90% (n = 323) of students had no disability per the Oswestry Disability Index. Conclusion LBP was highly prevalent among medical students and more prevalent among females, though gender and LBP were not associated. LBP was associated with high BMI and prolonged computer usage. Stakeholders should work to raise students’ awareness of LBP and methods to improve their lifestyles and behaviors.