Relationship between somatotype categories and musculoskeletal discomforts among Nigeria school students: A case study of selected secondary schools in Lagos State

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Dimethyl There are rare study on the impact of somatotype on musculoskeletal discomfort in young and adolescence students. This aim of this study was to investigate the association between musculoskeletal discomforts and somatotype (body form) of students in secondary schools. METHOD: A cross sectional study of total sample size of 640 students from age 10 to17 was taken across privately operated schools and government operated schools, and were categorised into age group of 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 and 16-17. Anthropometry data of the students was collected using International Society for Anthropometric Analysis of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) model and Musculoskeletal discomfort (pain) level was taking using Numeric Rating Scale for Pain (NRPS) which ranges from No Pain to Severe Pain. The student’s somatotype category was determined using the Heath Carter method and the frequency for the pain analysed. A Descriptive Statistics and Chi-Square (χ2) Test Analysis was done between the two categorical variables to ascertain association and it significance. Statistical significant set at p< α=0.05. RESULTS: The results shows variation in frequency of pain outcome for students across age groups and schools, however, in totality the frequency of students that reported no pain is low compared to other categories of pain. There is noticeable difference in the frequency somatotype categories of students in private school and public schools across age groups. The ectomorph in private school is high (117) as compare to public school (97), the mesomorph is 95 and 111 for private school and public school respectively while endomorph is 106 and 114 for both school category. The Pearson Chi-Squared test Analysis shows an association between somatotype categories and pain outcome, and there is statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the analysis, we therefore conclude that, Somatotype of any category does have association with any form musculoskeletal discomforts being experience by students. Other factors may also be an influence to the discomforts either internal or environmental.