Prevalencia de trastornos musculoesqueléticos asociados a variables antropométricas en el personal administrativo de la Universidad de Cuenca

Objective: To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders associated with anthropometric variables in the administrative staff of the University of Cuenca, Ecuador. Methodology: A quantitative, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 325 administrative staff. The Nordic Questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short version), and bioelectrical impedance were used. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis were performed. Results: 94.5% of participants reported discomfort in the following regions: cervical (91.7%), lumbar (90.5%), and thoracic (81.5%). In the previous 12 months, several associations were found: between spinal discomfort and malnutrition (OR=3.224; p=0.002); between abdominal obesity and lower back discomfort (OR=2.108; p=0.044); between waist-to-hip ratio and lower back pain in women (OR = 2.723; p = 0.037); between low physical activity and lower back pain (OR = 2.345; p = 0.013). Furthermore, an association was observed in the last 7 days between physical activity and back pain (OR = 1.716; p = 0.022). Conclusions: Overweight was prevalent in men, high levels of body fat and waist-to-hip ratio in women; high abdominal obesity in men and women; chronic discomfort in the spine; and a significant association was found between low physical activity and discomfort in the back and lumbar regions. Therefore, it is imperative to implement strategies to reduce risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in this population.