Prevalence of hamstring tightness along with low back pain in overweight and obese Physiotherapy students.

Abstract

Running title: Correlation of hamstring tightness and low Back pain in overweight and obese physiotherapy students.

Background: : Increase in sedentary lifestyle has led to increase of population with increased weight resulting in muscle tightness and issues like back pain because of decrease in amount of exercise. Daily exercise can be helpful in reducing all the problems, increasing the quality of life of an individual while avoiding age related issues. Physiotherapist does prolonged standing which might lead to low back pain if proper measures are not taken, which is why this study will help create awareness while also finding the correlation between hamstring tightness and low back pain. This topic will be valuable for further prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this condition as well as it will contribute to the improvement of health and well being of the physiotherapy students.

Materials and methods: For low back pain, numerical pain rating scale was taken. For hamstring tightness Active knee extension test, V-sit and reach test and Finger to floor test were used, using goniometer, plinth, inch tape and chalk.

Results: The investigations was completed in 80 Physiotherapy students. Prevalence of hamstring tightness with mild lumbago is 40.7% with moderate lumbago is 24.6% and with severe lumbago is 7%. Tight hamstrings are significantly correlated with low back pain.