Neck Muscle Endurance, Pain, and Smartphone Use: A Cross-Sectional Study among College Students

Abstract

Background: Mobile technology has spread globally, with smartphones becoming an integral part of daily life. Continuous smartphone use among college students raises concerns about musculoskeletal health, particularly neck stress, leading to neck pain, muscle weakness, and impaired quality of life.

Objective: To analyse the effect of smart phone addiction on neck pain and associated changes in neck muscle endurance in college students.

Methods: A single-centre cross-sectional study was conducted among Sri Ramachandra Medical College students aged 18-27 with a history of neck pain. Baseline data and demographics were collected via Google Forms. Smartphone addiction was assessed using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), with cutoff values of 31/60 for males and 33/60 for females. Participants were divided into two groups based on their SAS-SV scores. Pain levels were evaluated using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (0-10). Manual muscle testing assessed flexor and extensor neck muscle endurance, with normative values of 39s (male) and 29s (female) for flexors, and 20s for extensors (both genders).

Result: This study included 210 participants, classified into addicted and non-addicted groups. Among males, smartphone addiction strongly correlated with decreased flexor endurance (r=-0.89) and moderately with increased pain (r=0.28). Among females, addiction strongly correlated with decreased flexor endurance (r=-0.91) and weakly with increased pain (r=0.10). P-values (0.001) indicated significant correlations, but not differences, between variables.

Conclusion: Smartphone addiction has been found to have a significant impact on the flexor endurance of the neck muscles, as well as pain levels, in both male and female individuals.