Smartphone use affects gait performance, spinal kinematics and causes spinal musculoskeletal discomfort in young adults

Potential Role of Smartphone Addiction on Sleep Quality and Perceived Neck Pain Among Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students: A Multicentered Cross-Sectional Study

“…Inal and Serel Arslan (Inal & Serel Arslan, 2021) reported a positive significant correlation between neck, upper back, lower back, and smartphone addiction. On the other hand, Metin et al (Metin, Topuz & Yagci, 2023) reported no significant correlation between perceived neck pain and smartphone addiction, however, the same authors reported a significant correlation between back pain and smartphone addiction. Nonetheless, we think that the relative discrepancies regarding the rate of correlation coefficients between studies might also be attributable to the different questionnaires used regarding the perceived musculoskeletal complaints.…”

“…Just like any other addiction, smartphone addiction now has been in attention due to unexpected dramatic potential effects on a wide variety of perspectives such as deterioration in sleep quality, postural and musculoskeletal problems, anxiety, depression, economic, academic success, and so forth (Dewi, Efendi, Has et al, 2018;Hawi & Samaha, 2017;Inal & Serel Arslan, 2021;Samaha & Hawi, 2016). Specifically focusing on students, it was stated that increased time spent on social media in prolonged periods of static posture affects not only their academic performance but also their gaining bad postural habits as well as predisposing their future musculoskeletal complaints (Metin, Topuz & Yagci, 2023). Shoulder and upper extremity pain specifically wrist, neck, upper back, and lower back problems are the most common ones reported in the literature associated with smartphone addiction (Barrett, McKinnon & Callaghan, 2020;Bruno, Burkhart, Allaire et al, 2017;Eitivipart, Viriyarojanakul & Redhead, 2018;Inal & Serel Arslan, 2021).…”

“…The neck region is reported to be one of the most vulnerable regions associated with musculoskeletal problems due to smartphone usage associated with the increased angle of flexion of the cervical vertebrae (Paek, 2017;Park, Kang, Lee et al, 2017). Metin et al (Metin, Topuz & Yagci, 2023) also indicated that the use of smartphones has an impact on gait characteristics. Researchers also highlighted that potential deterioration of the visual and vestibular system due to smartphone use might cause decreased stability and functionality (Pakdee & Sengsoon, 2020).…”