Smartphone use: implications for musculoskeletal symptoms and socio-demographic characteristics in students

Abstract

Introduction: smartphone use has substantially increased in the past decade, becoming an important part in population's usual activities, but the relationship between smartphone addiction, smartphone use, and neck disability in adults remains uncertain. The objective of this study: (1) investigate the association between neck disability and smartphone use time with socio-demographic characteristics, musculoskeletal symptoms, and smartphone addiction among university students; and (2) assess the association between smartphone addiction with socio-demographic characters, musculoskeletal symptoms. Methods: 228 students (74 males and 154 females; average age 29.41 years old) were enrolled in the study. Participants answered questions about sociodemographic characteristics, smartphone time use, smartphone addiction (SAS-SV), musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limb, and neck disability (NDI). Results: individuals with neck disability were associated with, gender, general health, presence of neck and shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. More time spent on smartphones was associated with some socio-demographic characteristics, the presence of shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Conclusions: smartphone addiction was associated with lower age, higher educational level, neck disability, and smartphone time use in students.