Neck and Upper Extremity Pain and Disability Experienced by University Students with Distance Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Descriptive Research

Year 2022, Volume: 17 Issue: 3, 165 - 172, 02.11.2022

Alper Perçin

https://doi.org/10.17517/ksutfd.1032043

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: Musculoskeletal system problems emerged in students who had to attend classes with a computer or smartphone during the weekly course hours, due to the fact that the universities providing face-to-face education switched to the online method of distance education due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Purpose of the study; To determine the severity of the pain experienced by the students, to reveal its relationship with disability, and to find the factors that induce pain and disability in daily life.

Material and Methods: One hundred students between the ages of 18-25, who attended distance education for at least 2 academic semesters and met the study criteria were included in the study. After the Sociodemographic Data Questionnaire was applied to the students included in the study, the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Problems Quick Questionnaire (Q-DASH), Neck Disability Index and NRS tests were applied.

Results: As a result of the Quick Questionnaire for Arm, Shoulder and Hand Problems (Q-DASH), 43% of the students included in the study had moderate disability, and according to the Neck Disability Index, 37% of the study group had complete disability. According to multivariate regression analysis, gender (p<0.05) and duration of computer or smart phone use (p<0.05) were the variables that most affected disability. A significant correlation was found between the frequency of pain and disability in the upper extremity (p<0.001).

Conclusion: It is seen that excessive computer or smart phone use during distance education causes disability due to pain and joint movement limitations in the upper extremity and cervical region.

Keywords

: Covid 19 Pandemic, Distance Learning, Neck Pains, Upper Extremity

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin COVID-19 Pandemisi Sırasında Yaşadıkları Boyun ve Üst Ekstremite Ağrısı ve Engelliliği: Tanımlayıcı Araştırma

Abstract

Özet

Amaç: Covid-19 pandemisi sebebiyle yüz yüze eğitim veren üniversitelerin çevrimiçi yöntemle uzaktan eğitim yöntemine geçmesi sebebiyle, haftalık ders saatleri süresince bilgisayar veya akıllı telefon ile derslere katılmak zorunda olan öğrencilerde, kas iskelet sistemi problemleri ortaya çıktı. Çalışmanın amacı; öğrencilerin yaşadıkları ağrının şiddetini belirlemek, dizabilite ile ilişkisini ortaya çıkarmak ve günlük yaşamda ağrı ve dizabiliteyi tetikleyen faktörleri bulmaktır.

Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya 18-25 yaş arasında olan, en az 2 akademik yarıyıl boyunca uzaktan eğitime devam eden ve çalışma kriterlerini karşılayan 100 öğrenci dahil edilmiştir. Çalışmaya dahil edilen öğrencilere Sosyodemografik Veri Anketi uygulanması sonrasında Kol, Omuz ve El Sorunları Hızlı Anketi (Q-DASH), Boyun Dizabilite Anketi ve Nümerik Ağrı Skalası testleri uygulanmıştır.

Bulgular: Kol, Omuz ve El Sorunları Hızlı Anketi (Q-DASH) anketi sonucu çalışmaya dahil edilen öğrencilerin %43’ünde orta seviye dizabilite, Boyun Dizabilite İndeksi’ne göre çalışma grubunun %37’sinde tam dizabilite görüldü. Çoklu değişkenli regresyon analizine göre cinsiyet (p<0.05) ve bilgisayar veya akıllı telefon kullanım süresi (p<0.05) dizabiliteyi en çok etkileyen değişkenler olarak bulundu. Ağrı sıklığı ve üst ekstremitede dizabilite arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulundu (p<0.001).

Sonuç: Uzaktan eğitim süresince fazla bilgisayar veya akıllı telefon kullanımının üst ekstremite ve servikal bölgede ağrı ve eklem hareket limitasyonları sebebiyle dizabiliteye neden olduğu görülmektedir.

Keywords

Kovid 19 Pandemisi, Uzaktan Eğitim, Boyun Ağrısı, Üst Ekstremite

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