Correlation between low back pain and disability among physical therapy students at Horus University, Egypt: A cross-sectional study

Authors

  • Ehab A Abdallah Department of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University-Egypt, International Coastal Road, New Damietta, Egypt / Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Middle East University, Amman, Jordan
  • Eman K. Mohamed Department of Physical Therapy for Pediatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
  • Mohamed Abd El-Naser Ghareeb Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan / Department of Physical Therapy for Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University-Egypt, New Damietta, Egypt
  • Mahmoud Diab Abdelhaleem Department of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt
  • Ahmed M. Elshinnawy Department of Physical Therapy for Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Merit University, Sohag, Egypt
  • Zeezy S. Eraky Department of Physical Therapy for Internal Medicine and Elderly, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Modern University for Technology and Information, Cairo, Egypt
  • Sobhy M. Aly Department of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia / Department of Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
  • Nehad Mohamed AbdElnabi Mousa Department of Orthopedic Physical Therapy, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University-Egypt, International Coastal Road, New Damietta, Egypt / Mansoura University Students Hospital, Mansoura, Egypt
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.720381
Keywords: Low Back Pain, Disability, Pain Intensity, Psychosocial Factors, Physical Activity

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability and has been associated with several factors, including postural habits, physical inactivity, and psychosocial factors among university students. The precise cause of LBP is often difficult to find, with activity imbalance and postural changes being common contributors. Students in healthcare-related fields are particularly susceptible to LBP. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between LBP and disability among physical therapy students at Horus University, Egypt. A total of 200 physical therapy students (59% females and 41% males), aged 20 to 25 years enrolled in the current study, at Horus University, Egypt.. To measure pain and functional level, both Acute LBP Screening Questionnaire (ALBPSQ) and Oswestry Low Back Disability Questionnaire (ODI) were used. The current study revealed that there was a moderate correlation between ALBPSQ score and ODI score (p<0.05). Also, there was a moderate correlation between pain intensity in terms of VAS (Visual Analog Scale) score and dysfunction level in terms of ODI (p<0.05). The findings highlight the relationship between pain intensity and functional impairment in physical therapy students with LBP. Universities and healthcare institutions might consider implementing policies that promote better posture, regular physical activity, and ergonomic practices to reduce the incidence of LBP among students.    

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Published
09-06-2026
How to Cite
Abdallah, E. A., Mohamed, E. K., El-Naser Ghareeb, M. A., Abdelhaleem, M. D., Elshinnawy, A. M., Eraky, Z. S., … AbdElnabi Mousa, N. M. (2026). Correlation between low back pain and disability among physical therapy students at Horus University, Egypt: A cross-sectional study. SPORT TK-EuroAmerican Journal of Sport Sciences, 15, 51. https://doi.org/10.6018/sportk.720381
Issue
Vol. 15 (2026)
Section
Articles

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The works and papers that are published in this Journal are subject to the following terms:

1. The Publication Service of the University of Murcia (the publisher) has the Publication Rights (Copyright) to the published papers and works, and favors and permits the reusing of the same under the license indicated in point 2.

© Servicio de Publicaciones, Universidad de Murcia, 2013

2. The papers and works are to be published in the digital edition of the Journal under the license Creative Commons Reconocimiento-No Comercial-Sin Obra Derivada 3.0 España (legal text). The copying, using, spreading, transmitting and publicly displaying of the papers, works or publication are permitted as long as: i) the authors and original sources (Journal, publisher and URL of the publication) are quoted; ii) it is not used for commercial benefit; iii) the existence and specifications of this users license are mentioned.

3. Conditions of Self-Archiving. It is permitted and encouraged that the authors spread electronically the pre-print (before printing) and/or post-print (the revised, evaluated and accepted) versions of their papers or works before their publication since this favors their circulation and early diffusion and therefore can help increase their citation and quotation, and also there reach through the academic community.