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Association between sedentary behavior, physical activity, and neck pain, disability index, and cervical physiological function in university students: a cross-sectional study

psychiatry-and-psychology
rehabilitation
sports-medicine

Abstract

Background: With changes in modern lifestyle, cervical health issues among college students have become increasingly prevalent.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the associations between sedentary behavior (SB), physical activity (PA), and neck pain, disability index, and cervical physiological function in university students.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 126 participants. Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess SB, PA, VAS, and NDI. Objective measurements were taken to evaluate cervical range of motion (ROM), joint position sense (JPS), muscle strength (MS), and muscle endurance (ME). Pearson and Spearman correlations examined the associations between SB, PA, and cervical health indicators. ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests compared differences between groups with varying SB and PA levels.

Results: Correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between SB and VAS, as well as JPS (extension JPS-E; right rotation JPS-RRot), and significant negative correlations with cervical ROM (extension ROM-E; left rotation ROM-LRot; right rotation ROM-RRot). Moreover, PA was negatively correlated with NDI and positively correlated with cervical flexor strength (CFS) and extensor strength (CES). Comparative analysis of different levels of SB and PA showed that the High-SB & Low-PA group had significantly worse outcomes in NDI, ROM-RRot, JPS-E, and CES.

Conclusion: SB negatively affects cervical health in university students, whereas moderate PA confers protective benefits. The combined effect of high SB and low PA exacerbates disability index and further deteriorates cervical physiological function. This study provides empirical evidence for preventive and interventional strategies targeting cervical health issues in university students.

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