Burden and Severity Profile of Low Back Pain and Functional Disability Among University Students with Prolonged Sitting: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is increasingly reported among university students and may result in functional limitation. Prolonged sitting is common in academic settings, yet symptom severity profiles among prolonged sitters are underreported in local student cohorts. Objective: To determine the burden and severity distribution of low back pain intensity and functional disability among university students with prolonged sitting, and to explore whether sitting duration is associated with pain or disability severity. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the University of Management and Technology, Lahore, using convenience sampling. A total of 120 students aged 20–30 years with acute or chronic LBP were assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Sitting duration was categorized as 5–6, 7–8, and 8–9 hours/day. Data were summarized using frequencies and percentages, and Pearson correlation was used to explore associations between sitting duration and NPRS and ODI outcomes. Results: Participants were predominantly female (85.8%) and aged 20–25 years (98.3%). Moderate-to-severe pain (NPRS 4–10) was reported by 81.6% of students, and 46.7% demonstrated ODI ≥21%. Sitting duration showed negligible correlations with NPRS (r = 0.014, p = 0.881) and ODI (r = −0.012, p = 0.900). Conclusion: University students with prolonged sitting demonstrated high pain and disability burden, but sitting duration alone was not associated with symptom severity, indicating the likely influence of multifactorial determinants beyond sitting time alone.