The Prevalence of Neck and Low Back Pain in FMSTRC Staff At the UWI Mona

Neck and low back pain are among the most common musculoskeletal conditions worldwide. Although often self-limiting, these conditions can become disabling and negatively affect productivity, occupational performance, social participation, and activities of daily living. Occupational factors such as prolonged sitting, sustained computer use, forward head posture, repetitive movements, awkward positioning, prolonged standing, and manual handling tasks are well-recognised contributors to spinal pain.

Workers within the Faculty of Medical Sciences Teaching and Research Complex (FMSTRC) at The University of the West Indies, Mona represent a diverse occupational group that includes academic staff, administrative personnel, clinical instructors, laboratory staff, and ancillary workers. Academic and administrative staff frequently engage in prolonged desk-based work, extended computer use, and sustained sitting during lectures, research, and documentation. Clinical and laboratory personnel are exposed to prolonged standing, ward rounds, procedure assistance, and repetitive task performance. Ancillary staff may perform physically demanding duties such as lifting, cleaning, equipment handling, and working in sustained or awkward postures. These occupational exposures, compounded by suboptimal ergonomic practices and reduced core stability, may increase the risk of developing neck and low back pain.

International literature demonstrates a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among university employees and healthcare-related occupational groups. Identified risk factors include prolonged sedentary behaviour, repetitive strain, elevated body mass index, smoking, prior musculoskeletal injury, psychosocial stressors, and family history of spinal disorders. Despite this growing body of evidence, there is currently no published study examining the prevalence of neck and low back pain among university staff in Jamaica or the wider Caribbean, particularly within a multidisciplinary academic and clinical complex such as the FMSTRC.

Exercise therapy is widely recognised as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for both acute and chronic spinal pain. Evidence shows that structured exercise programmes improve muscular strength, flexibility, endurance, and spinal stability while reducing pain intensity and functional limitations. Exercise also promotes improved posture, enhances neuromuscular control, and supports overall spinal health, thereby reducing the risk of recurrent injury.

This study aims to determine the prevalence of neck and low back pain among full-time staff at the Faculty of Medical Sciences Teaching and Research Complex (FMSTRC), The University of the West Indies, Mona, and to compare the effectiveness of a standardised spine-specific exercise programme versus a non-spine-specific exercise programme in reducing pain and improving knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to spinal health.

The study will be conducted in two phases and guided by both descriptive and experimental frameworks. In the first phase (descriptive phase), a cross-sectional design will be used to assess the prevalence of neck and low back pain among full-time FMSTRC workers across all occupational categories. Participants will complete questionnaires assessing the presence of musculoskeletal discomfort in the neck and low back, as well as their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding spine health.

In the second phase (experimental phase), staff members who report neck and/or low back pain will be randomised into either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will participate in an eight-week standardised spine-specific exercise programme. The control group will receive a non-spine-specific exercise programme administered in parallel during the study period to minimise placebo effects. Pre- and post-intervention data will be collected using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ), and structured questionnaires (Questionnaires A and B) to assess changes in pain intensity, functional status, and spine-health knowledge, attitudes, and practices.

Participant confidentiality will be strictly maintained. Each participant will be assigned a unique study identification number, and only demographic, occupational, clinical, and outcome data relevant to the study will be recorded. All data will be securely managed using REDCap, a password-protected web-based platform compliant with national data protection standards. Statistical analysis will be conducted using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and all study records will be securely stored and destroyed three years after study completion.

Inclusion criteria

• All full time academic/office/supplementary/ancillary staff employed to the Faculty of Medical Science, Training and Research Complex, UWI, Mona.
• Individuals with a willingness to adhere to exercise program given in a handout.
• Individuals age 18-65
• Individuals with at least 1 year experience in their current position.

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals with a history of having spine surgery
• Individuals previously diagnosed with a spine pathology
• Individuals currently receiving physiotherapy for a spine problem