Publication:

Correlation of smartphone addiction with musculoskeletal discomfort and neck disability among college students

Background The nearly universal availability of smartphones in present cultures has resulted in smartphone addiction. The main purpose of the study was to assess risk of musculoskeletal discomfort and neck disability among college students who are smartphone addicted and assumes faulty posture with prolong smartphone use.

Methods The study examined 100 healthy students of a college in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar by random sampling based on self-administered questionnaires that consist of Smartphone addiction scale (SAS), Cornell musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire (CMDQ), Neck disability index (NDI) in the age group of 18-25 years. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to correlate between SAS and CMDQ, and SAS and NDI.

Results There was a predominance of females over males (females- 78, males- 22). Mean±SD of SAS, NDI and CMDQ was 92.74±21.33. 8.6±9.56 and 88±14.84 (CMDQ frequency), 30.5±7.77 (CMDQ discomfort), 27±4.24 (CMDQ interference) respectively. Pearson correlation coefficient showed a significant moderate positive correlation between SAS and NDI (r=0.44) and it showed a significant moderate positive correlation between both SAS and CMDQ (frequency) (r=0.50) and SAS and CMDQ (discomfort) (r=0.40), while it showed weak correlation between SAS and CMDQ (interference) (r=0.38).

Conclusions The study indicated that there was a moderate positive correlation between neck disability and Smartphone addiction, while there was mild to moderate correlation between musculoskeletal disorders and smartphone addiction.