Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42601694›Full record

ArticleMedicine2026

Musculoskeletal disorders in relation to computer workstation ergonomics and sleep quality among university employees: A cross-sectional study.

Maged El-Setouhy, Amani Abdelmola, Zenat A Khired, Mohamed M Ahmed, Sharifah A Komeit, Remaz R Remely, Shuruq A Hakami, Naseem A Moafa, Abeer H Ghalib, Ebhar G Magrashi and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Maged El-SetouhyDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0002-4572-8439
Amani AbdelmolaDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Zenat A KhiredDepartment of Surgery, College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed M AhmedDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0003-3168-0769
Sharifah A KomeitCollege of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Remaz R RemelyCollege of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Shuruq A HakamiCollege of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Naseem A MoafaCollege of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Abeer H GhalibCollege of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Ebhar G MagrashiCollege of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Retaj M ShawishCollege of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Azza A AlareefyDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Ahmad A AlharbiDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.ORCID 0000-0001-8763-2008
Tawfeeq AltherwiDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad ZainoDepartment of Physical Therapy, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the most common work-related health problems and are frequently associated with prolonged sitting, poor computer workstation ergonomics, and inadequate sleep. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MSD complaints and examine their associations with computer workstation ergonomics and sleep quality among employees at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2024 and April 2025 among 460 university employees selected using a multistage cluster random sampling technique. Data were collected using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the National Institutes of Health Computer Workstation Ergonomic Self-Assessment Checklist, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 27. MSDs were highly prevalent, with the low back (65.9%), neck (65.0%), shoulders (57.2%), and upper back (46.3%) being the most commonly affected body regions, whereas the elbows were the least affected (16.7%). Male employees had significantly lower odds of hip pain (odds ratio [OR] = 0.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.07-0.66) and ankle pain (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.13-0.90) than female employees. Compared with employees from the College of Arts and Humanities, those from the College of Science had significantly higher odds of wrist pain (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.07-4.20), elbow pain (OR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.09-5.53), and ankle pain (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.15-5.33). Poor sleep quality was independently associated with increased odds of neck pain (OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.03-1.24), upper-back pain (OR = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.08-5.67), and knee pain (OR = 4.28, 95% CI: 1.70-10.80). In addition, poor workstation ergonomics were independently associated with several MSDs after adjustment for potential confounders. MSDs were highly prevalent among university employees and were independently associated with poor workstation ergonomics and poor sleep quality. These findings highlight the importance of implementing workplace ergonomic interventions and employee wellness programs to reduce the burden of MSDs. Future longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of ergonomic and sleep-related interventions and to further investigate the contributions of occupational stress and screen time to MSD risk.

Indexed as

ErgonomicsMusculoskeletal DiseasesOccupational DiseasesSleep QualityAdultComputersComputer TerminalsCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceSaudi ArabiaSurveys and QuestionnairesUniversitiesmusculoskeletal disordersNordic Musculoskeletal QuestionnairePittsburgh Sleep Quality Indexsleep qualityworkstation ergonomics

Identifiers

PMID42601694
PMCPMC13480749

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.