Survey study, 2026
Is PMS severity linked to muscle and joint pain in nursing students?
Nursing students with higher PMS severity had significantly more widespread pain in the neck, shoulders, lower back, and hips, and those with pain used more healthcare services and took more sick leave. The link is strong.
What they did
Surveyed 257 female nursing students using standardized questionnaires. Researchers assessed PMS severity using the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale and asked about pain or discomfort in nine different body regions using the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire.
What they found
82.9% had PMS and 90.7% reported musculoskeletal pain. Students with pain had much higher PMS severity scores (148.5 ± 28.5) compared to those without pain (90.5 ± 26.5). For every point increase in PMS severity, pain likelihood increased. The lower back was most affected (75.9%), followed by upper back (42.0%) and hips (39.3%). Pain in the neck, shoulder, lower back, and hips was linked to increased healthcare use, medication use, and sick leave.
What it means for you
PMS severity and widespread pain appear to go together in nursing students, affecting their ability to work and study. This is a snapshot study, so we cannot say whether PMS causes pain or vice versa. All participants were nursing students in one setting, so results may not apply to other groups.
82.9%
Had PMS
90.7%
Had musculoskeletal pain
1.08
Odds ratio per PMS severity point
About the study
- Original title
- Association between premenstrual syndrome severity and musculoskeletal pain among nursing students: a cross-sectional study
- Authors
- Okan F, Okan S
- Journal
- BMC nursing
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 233
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-04776-9
Topics
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