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Journals / Anatolian Current Medical Journal / 2026 / Volume: 8 Issue: 4

Digital burnout and academic procrastination are associated with neck and low back pain among university students

Mehmet Akif Güler(Selçuk Üniversitesi)0000-0003-0543-2016
Merve Burcu Güler(SELCUK UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-0841-7401
Rabia Rana Solak(SELCUK UNIVERSITY)0009-0004-4257-8940
Melek Murtuğan(SELCUK UNIVERSITY)0009-0000-4672-9639
Aybüke Özbilen(SELCUK UNIVERSITY)0009-0004-1483-0336
Hatice Rüveyda Karadağ(SELCUK UNIVERSITY)0009-0000-3067-7088
Furkan Kara(SELCUK UNIVERSITY)0009-0001-5015-2729
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-07-16
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Student musculoskeletal health strategies may benefit from combining ergonomic education with digital well-being, academic self-regulation, movement breaks, and physical activity promotion.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Aims: This study investigated whether digital burnout and academic procrastination were related to past four-week neck and low back pain in university students.
📊
Key Findings & Data:Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 582 university students in Turkiye.
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Conclusion & Impact:Student musculoskeletal health strategies may benefit from combining ergonomic education with digital well-being, academic self-regulation, movement breaks, and physical activity promotion.
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:2026 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Burnout · psychological · procrastination

Abstract

Aims: This study investigated whether digital burnout and academic procrastination were related to past four-week neck and low back pain in university students. It also evaluated their associations with pain intensity, body awareness, and physical activity. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted with 582 university students in Turkiye. Data were obtained through an online questionnaire between March and April 2026. Neck and low back pain were measured with the Turkish version of the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, while pain intensity was rated on an 11-point Numerical Rating Scale. Digital burnout, academic procrastination, physical activity, and body awareness were assessed using validated or culturally adapted measures. Adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated using modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors. Results: Each primary outcome had a four-week prevalence of 33.5%. In the adjusted models, digital burnout showed PRs of 1.28 for neck pain (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14-1.44) and 1.19 for low back pain (95% CI: 1.05-1.34) per one-standarddeviation increase. Academic procrastination was related to low back pain (PR=1.23, 95% CI: 1.08-1.40), but its relationship with neck pain was not statistically significant. In secondary analyses, higher digital burnout and academic procrastination scores corresponded to greater pain intensity, and digital burnout showed an inverse relationship with physical activity. Conclusion: Digital burnout and academic procrastination may represent relevant behavioral correlates of spinal pain burden in university students. Student musculoskeletal health strategies may benefit from combining ergonomic education with digital well-being, academic self-regulation, movement breaks, and physical activity promotion.

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Cite This Article

Güler, M. A., Güler, M. B., Solak, R. R., Murtuğan, M., Özbilen, A., Karadağ, H. R., Kara, F. (2026). Digital burnout and academic procrastination are associated with neck and low back pain among university students. Anatolian Current Medical Journal, Volume: 8 Issue: 4. https://doi.org/10.38053/acmj.1946185

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