Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity and Spinal Pain in a Group of Apparently Healthy Egyptians: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract Background: Spinal pain is a frequent health problem. Sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity PA had been widely pointed out as a risk factor for LBP. Since the end of 2019, the world has been facing the COVID-19 pandemic, this resulted in change of lifestyle and PA performed by lots of people. Aim of Study: To detect change in PA before and after COVID-19 pandemic and its relation to LBP, cervical pain, nonspecific bodily pains or fatigue. Patients and Methods: The current study included 146 apparently healthy participants whom were asked to answer the validated Arabic version of International Physical Assess-ment Questionnaire IPAQ to assess PA before and after COV-ID-19 pandemic. Participants also answered questions to assess new onset of symptoms and/or increased symptoms in terms of LBP, nonspecific bodily pains or fatigue. Results: Participants were divided into two groups based on the presence of spinal pain, joint pains, bodily pains and fatigue: Worsened group who developed the symptom after COVID-19 pandemic or had worsening of an old symptom after the pandemic, and stable group who had no symptoms after the pandemic or had an old symptom that did not increase after the pandemic. There was significant change in high intensity PA after the pandemic (p < 0.001). Participants who experienced spinal pains had significantly practiced walking (p=0.002) and moderate intensity activities (p=0.038) before the pandemic. There was significant correlation between performing high intensity PA during COVID-19 pandemic and stable spinal pain, nonspecific bodily pains and fatigue (p=0.021, p=0.025, p=0.046) respectively. Individuals who experienced worsening in spinal pains, nonspecific bodily pains or fatigue had significant change in moderate intensity activity days (p=0.049) and duration (p=0.022) after the pandemic. Conclusion: The changes in moderate intensity PA is related to spinal pain, nonspecific body pain and fatigue.