Association between obesity and musculoskeletal pain in preadolescent female students in Ha'il, Saudi Arabia

Objective and Method: The objective of the current study was to assess the relationship between obesity and the presence of musculoskeletal pain in spine, knee, and ankle on 571 preadolescent female students in Ha’il region, Saudi Arabia. Participants were recruited randomly from local primary schools. Children were classified as obese and non-obese based on body mass index (BMI) values. The association between obesity and pain areas (cervical, low back, knee, and ankle) was assessed. Body composition measures were also compared between obese and non-obese children with and without pain. Results: The mean age of the total sample was 9.85 years and 162 (28.37%) students were categorized as obese. Concerning pain in a specific body area, the results indicated a significant relationship between obesity and cervical and knee pain. Obese children also had higher values in most body compositions and skinfold thickness measures compared to normal-weight children. Conclusion: Primary school children with obesity are more likely to experience musculoskeletal pain in the cervical and knee areas compared to their normal-weight counterparts. The relationship between obesity and pain is complex and should be taken into consideration during the design of various rehabilitation techniques for obese children