Effect of Smartphone Use on Neck Pain and Disability Level in University Students Who Exercise Regularly: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of smartphone use on neck pain and disability among university students who exercise regularly. Materials and Methods: Hundred and forty students (M: 60 F: 80) between the ages of 18-30 years were included in the study. Participants were divided into two groups as those with regular exercise habits (Group I) and those without (Group II). Participants' information such as age, gender, exercise habits, total smartphone usage time per year and daily smartphone usage time were recorded in the demographic data form. Visual Analogue Scale and Neck Disability Index were used for the evaluations. Results: In terms of the duration of smartphone use within the group, a significant difference was found between the duration of the smartphone used by the participants in Group I during the day, night and all day (p<0.05). The increase in pain intensity and neck disability level was found to be statistically significant between the groups (p<0.05). Visual Analogue Scale and Neck Disability Index scores of the participants in Group II were higher than the participants in Group I. The differences in Visual Analogue Scale and Neck Disability Index scores were found to be highly significant between the groups who used the smartphone for less than 6 hours a day (p=0.0001). Conclusion: In order to reduce the level of neck pain and neck disability due to smartphone use, we believe that increasing regular exercise habits, reducing the duration of smartphone use during the day and teaching ergonomic posture during smartphone use are necessary in terms of public health in the young population.

Keywords

• Smartphone
• Neck Pain
• Undergraduate
• Visual Analogue Scale
• Neck Disability Index

Düzenli Egzersiz Yapan Üniversite Öğrencilerinde Akıllı Telefon Kullanımının Boyun Ağrısı ve Özür Düzeyine Etkisi: Karşılaştırmalı Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Giriş ve Amaç: Çalışmaya 18-30 yaşları arasında 140 öğrenci (E: 60 K: 80) dâhil edildi. Katılımcılar düzenli egzersiz alışkanlığı olanlar (Grup I) ve olmayanlar (Grup II) olarak iki gruba ayrıldı. Katılımcıların yaş, cinsiyet, egzersiz alışkanlıkları, yıllık toplam telefon kullanım süresi ve günlük telefon kullanım süresi gibi bilgileri demografik veri formuna kaydedildi. Değerlendirmelerde Görsel Analog Skala ve Boyun Özür İndeksi kullanıldı. Bulgular: Grup içi akıllı telefon kullanım süreleri açısından Grup I katılımcılarının gündüz, gece ve tüm gün kullandıkları akıllı telefon süreleri arasında anlamlı farklılık bulundu (p<0.05). Ağrı şiddeti ve boyun özür düzeyindeki artış gruplar arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bulundu (p<0.05). Grup II'deki katılımcıların Görsel Analog Skala ve Boyun Özür İndeksi puanları Grup I'deki katılımcılardan daha yüksekti. Akıllı telefonu günde 6 saatten az kullanan gruplar arası Görsel Analog Skala ve Boyun Özür İndeksi skorları arasındaki fark yüksek düzeyde anlamlı bulundu (p=0.0001). Sonuç: Genç popülasyonda akıllı telefon kullanımı kaynaklı boyun ağrısı ve özür düzeyini azaltmak için halk sağlığı açısından düzenli egzersiz alışkanlıklarının artırılması, gün içinde akıllı telefon kullanım süresinin kısaltılması ve telefon kullanımı sırasında ergonomik duruşun öğretilmesi gerektiğine inanıyoruz.

Keywords

• Akıllı Telefon
• Boyun Ağrısı
• Üniversite Öğrencileri
• Görsel Analog Skala
• Boyun Özür İndeksi

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