ArticlePDF Available

The Effects of Posture on Neck Flexion Angle While Using a Smartphone according to Duration

DOI:10.13066/kspm.2016.11.3.35
Authors:
Sang-Yong Lee
Sang-Yong Lee
Sang-Yong Lee
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Dae-Hee Lee
Dae-Hee Lee
Dae-Hee Lee
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Seul-Ki Han
Seul-Ki Han
Seul-Ki Han
  • This person is not on ResearchGate, or hasn't claimed this research yet.
Download full-text PDF
Read full-text
Download citation
Available via license: CC BY-NC 3.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
| Abstract |1)
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to examine
changes in the neck flexion angle according to posture while
using a smartphone and the duration of smartphone usage.
METHOD S:
The subjects in this study were 16 healthy
young students in their 20s. The subjects wore a cervical range
of motion instrument. They were instructed to use a
smartphone while standing, sitting on a chair, and sitting on
the floor. In all postures, they could use the smartphone and
use their arms freely while keeping their back connected to the
wall or the back of the chair. When sitting on the floor, they
assumed a cross-legged position. The neck flexion angle was
measured at zero, three, six, and nine minutes for each posture.
RESULTS:
Neck flexion is affected by the posture while
using a smartphone (p<.05). Neck flexion in the standing
position is larger than that in the sitting on the floor position.
Neck flexion was affected by smartphone usage duration
(p<.05). In general, as usage time increases, the neck flexion
angle increases as well.
CONCLU SION:
This study suggests that using
†Corresponding Author : lovewisd@u1.ac.kr
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits
unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction
in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
smartphone in the standing position and for a short period of
time is a method to reduce the neck flexion angle.
Key Words:
CROM, Neck flexion angle, Posture,
Smartphone
Ⅰ. Introduction
In modern society, smartphone penetration and the
number of smartphone users are increasing rapidly (Park
et al., 2015). Modern people use a smartphone in most
areas of their lives, including occupational and leisure
activities, which means their duration of smartphone usage
is also increasing (Lee et al., 2015). Most diseases of the
musculoskeletal system are caused by repeated use of the
system, which results in damage to the muscular fibers
and muscle tone (Um, 2013). Therefore, repeated and
prolonged use of smartphones will have negative impacts
on the human body. Yoon et al. (2015) noted that walking
using a smartphone had a negative effect on the lumbar
(Yoon et al., 2015), and Straker et al. (2008) reported that
the muscular activity of the muscles around the shoulders
increased due to smartphone usage (Straker et al., 2008).
In addition, Kim et al. (2015) stated that when using a
smartphone, individuals with minor neck pain tend to bend
J Korean Soc Phys Med, 2016; 11(3): 35-39
http://dx.doi.org/10.13066/kspm.2016.11.3.35
Online ISSN:
Print ISSN:
2287-7215
1975-311X
Research Article Open Access
The Effects of Posture on Neck Flexion Angle While Using
a Smartphone according to Duration
Sang-Yong Lee, PhD, PT⋅Dae-Hee Lee, PhD, PT⋅Seul-Ki Han, PhD, PT
†
Department of Physical Therapy, U1 University
Received: May 9, 2016 / Revised: May 18, 2016 / Accepted: July 3, 2016
ⓒ
2016 J Korean Soc Phys Med
36 | J Korean Soc Phys Med Vol. 11, No. 3
their neck slightly more than individuals without neck pain.
Regarding these problems with the musculoskeletal system
resulting from the use of a smartphone (Kim et al., 2015),
Young et al. (2012) noted that these were related to the
location of the smartphone (Young et al., 2012), and Lee
et al. (2006) argued that neck pain in a sitting posture
is associated with the fact that an object at which an
individual intends to look is located around the knee (Lee
et al., 2006).
Thus, studies on the effects of smartphone use on the
skeletal and muscular system have been reported, although
studies on smartphone usage posture and its effect on the
changes of the neck flexion angle over time are insufficient.
In this regard, the purpose of this study was to examine
changes in the neck flexion angle according to posture
while using a smartphone and the duration of smartphone
usage.
Ⅱ. Methods
The subjects in this study were 16 healthy young students
in their 20s attending U1 University in Chungbuk, South
Korea. Subjects were included if they had no
musculoskeletal or neurological disorders affecting the
upper or lower extremities, lesions, or history of surgery
of the spine or upper extremities. The mean age, height,
and weight of the subjects were 20.00 ± .37 years, 168.09
± 8.83 cm, and 64.79 ± 12.52 kg, respectively. Ethical
approval for the study was granted by the Institutional
Review Board of U1 University. All subjects were fully
informed of the objectives and methods of the study
beforehand and gave informed consent to participate in
the experiments.
The subjects wore a cervical range of motion (CROM,
Performance Attainment Associates, US) instrument. They
were instructed to use a smartphone while standing, sitting
on a chair, and sitting on the floor. In all postures, they
could use the smartphone and use their arms freely while
keeping their back connected to the wall or the back of
the chair. When sitting on the floor, they assumed a
cross-legged position (Fig. 1). Posture, procedure and
method are selected randomly. The neck flexion angle was
measured at zero, three, six and nine minutes for each
posture. All participants for this study used the Galaxy
Note3 (SM-N900S, Samsung Electronics Co., LTD, Seoul,
Korea) smartphone to surf the internet freely. Subjects were
free to the web surfing. The two-way ANOVA was
performed to examine changes in the neck flexion angle
according to posture and duration. The Bonferroni post
hoc test was also performed. In the present study, the date
was statistically processed using SPSS/PC Ver. 12.0, and
the significance level
α
was set to .05.
Fig. 1. The posture of St, SOC and SOG
Ⅲ. Results
Neck flexion angle while using smartphone was affected
by both posture and usage time (p<.05) and there was no
interaction between posture and usage time. The result of
post-analysis showed that standing - position and the sitting
in a chair position comprised one group, and sitting in
a chair position and sitting on the floor position comprised
an another group. The flexion angle for the group including
the standing position was larger than that of the group
including the sitting position on the floor position. As
The Effects of Posture on Neck Flexion Angle While Using a Smartphone according to Duration | 37
smartphone usage time became longer, the neck flexion
angle increased (table1) (Fig. 2).
Ⅳ. Discussion
The subjects in this study were 16 healthy young students
in their 20s. They were instructed to use a smartphone
while standing, sitting on a chair, and sitting on the floor
Neck flexion angle was increased significantly over time
in all postures. At three, six and nine minutes for each
posture.
In this study, the maximum measurement time was 9
mins, because the minimum smartphone usage time at
which users started to complain about pain or fatigue was
10 mins. Kim and Kim (2015) reported that a longer
duration of smartphone usage caused a higher degree of
pain. In line with this result, the present study shows that
a longer duration of smartphone usage led to a higher neck
flexion angle for each of the three postures. This result
was obtained even though the participants were required
to lean their backs against the wall. In daily life when
St SOC SOG F p post-hoc
0 min 25.56±10.11 21.13±7.89 20.44±8.41
4.67 .01** St, SOC>
> SOC, SOG
3 min 31.06±10.55 29.44±12.26 24.56±9.27
6 min 33.75±11.7 32.44±14.07 27.5±10.48
9 min 35.75±13.07 34.38±14.3 29.25±12.79
F8.10
p<.01
**
post-hoc 0, 3 < 6, 9
0 < 3, 6, 9
Position*Duration .15 .99
*p<.05, **p<.01; St: Stand; SOC: Sit on Chair; SOG: Sit on Ground
Table 1. The Effects of Posture on Neck Flexion Angle While Using a Smartphone
(unit: degree)
Fig. 2. The Effects of Posture on Neck Flexion Angle While Using a Smartphone
(unit: degree)
38 | J Korean Soc Phys Med Vol. 11, No. 3
there is no requirement to lean their backs against the wall,
it is expected that the overall posture including neck posture
will be bent more. This kind of excessive neck flexion
can cause deformation of the normal neck bone into a C
shape (Lee, 2013) and fatigue on the neck and muscle
around shoulder (Ko et al., 2013; Strake, 2008).
Kim (2015) reported that while using a smartphone,
individuals with minor neck pain bent their neck slightly
more than those without neck pain, although the causal
relationship could not be identified (Kim, 2015). In this
regard, Lee and Seo (2014) noted that a higher degree
of smartphone addition may lead to a reduction in the ability
to recognize neck posture (Lee and Seo, 2014). These
studies suggest that the use of a smartphone can impair
the sensory ability to recognize neck posture, thereby
becoming a factor that causes pain by bending the neck
at a higher angle. In addition, squatting postures, especially
when bending the neck, cause psychologically negative
results. Carney et al. (2010) reported that during a straight
posture, the secretion of testosterone went up by 20% and
the secretion of cortisol went down by 25 %, whereas during
a squatting posture, the secretion of testosterone went down
10% and the secretion of cortisol went up 15% (Carney
et al., 2010). In other words, stress can be generated more
easily in a squatting posture. This shows that bending the
neck while using a smartphone has a negative effect. In
relation to this, some researchers recommend assuming
postures where the neck can be straighter while using a
smartphone (Kim 2015; Kim and Kim 2015). In the present
study, when the subjects used a smartphone, they bent their
neck at a higher degree while standing compared to sitting
on thefloor. Standing position while using a smartphone
required much more bending of the neck than the sitting
on the floor position from the beginning of the use of
a smartphone; therefore, smartphone use in standing
position needs to restrained.
There were several limitations to this study. First, the
subjects were restricted to young students in their 20s,
which makes it difficult to normalize the results, Second,
there was a small study group number.
Ⅴ. Conclusion
The purpose of this study was to examine changes in
the neck flexion angle according to posture while using
a smartphone and the duration of smartphone usage. This
study result is as follows.
1. Neck flexion is affected by the posture while using
a smartphone (p<.05). Neck flexion in the standing
position is larger than that in the sitting on thefloor
position.
2. Neck flexion was affected by smartphone usage
duration (p<.05). In general, as usage time increases,
the neck flexion angle increases as well.
In conclusion, neck flexion, which causes problems
including pain in the skeletal and muscular system, is
affected by posture and usage time. This study suggests
that using smartphone in the standing position and for a
short period of time is a method to reduce the neck flexion
angle.
References
Carney DR, Cuddy AJ, Yap AJ. Power posing: brief nonverbal
displays affect neuroendocrine levels and risk
tolerance. Psychol Sci. 2010;21(10):1363-8.
Kim HJ, Kim JS. The relationship between smartphone use
and subjective musculoskeletal symptoms and
university students. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015;27(3):
575-9.
Kim MS. Influence of neck pain on cervical movement in
the sagittal plane during smartphone use. J Phys Ther
The Effects of Posture on Neck Flexion Angle While Using a Smartphone according to Duration | 39
Sci. 2015;27(1):15-7.
Ko K, Ki m HS, Woo JH. The study of muscle fatigue and
risks of musculoskeletal system disorders from text
inputting on a smartphone. J Ergon Soc Korea.
2013;32(3):273-8.
Lee H, Nicholson LL, Adams RD, et al. Development and
psychometric testing of Korean language versions
of 4 neck pain and disability questionnaires. Spine.
2006;31(6):1841-5.
Lee J, Seo K. The comparison of cervical repositioning errors
according to smartphone addiction grades. J Phys
Ther Sci. 2014;26(4):595-8.
Lee M, Hong Y, Lee S, et al. The effects of smartphone
use on upper extremity muscle activity and pain
threshold. J Phys Ther. 2015;27(6):1743-5.
Lee YS. A study on the effect of mobile phone use addiction
on teenage health: Focused on neck pain. Seoul,
Gwangwoon University, Master’s Degree. 2013.
Park JW, Kim MS, Bae HS, et al. The reliability and validity
of hip range of motion measurement using a smart
phone operative patient. J Korean Soc Phys Med.
2015;10(2):1-7.
Straker LM, Coleman J, Skoss R, et al. A comparison of
posture and muscle activity during tablet computer,
desktop computer and paper use by young children.
Ergonomics. 2008;51(4):540-55.
Um SH. An empirical study on relationship between physical
symptoms and smartphone usage. Master’s Degree.
Inha University. 2013.
Yoon JO, Kang MH, Kim JS. The effects of gait with use
of smartphone on repositioning error and curvature
of the lumbar spine. J Phys Ther Sci. 2015;27(8):
2507-8.
Young JG, Trudeau M, Odell D, et al. Touch-screen tablet
user configurations and case-supported tilt affect head
and neck flexion angles. Work. 2012;41(1):81-91.
... Sehingga semakin tinggi intensitas penggunaan gawai maka semakin besar juga sudut fleksi leher penggunanya. 22 Selain itu, penggunaan gawai dalam intensitas tinggi disertai ukuran layar gawai yang relatif kecil (OR=1,490) seperti pada ponsel pintar dan tablet semakin meningkatkan risiko mengalami disabilitas leher karena pengguna gawai perlu menundukkan kepalanya agar lebih jelas melihat saat menggunakan gawai tersebut sehingga derajat fleksi leher juga semakin meningkat. 23 ...
... Fleksi leher yang berlebihan menyebabkan berat kepala yang disangga oleh otot dan struktur servikal menjadi meningkat hingga empat kali lipat pada posisi fleksi leher 30 derajat tersebut sehingga berakibat pada deformasi struktur servikal menjadi berbentuk C dan otot leher serta bahu menjadi kelelahan. 22 Selain itu, penggunaan gawai dalam intensitas tinggi disertai ukuran layar gawai yang relatif kecil seperti pada ponsel pintar dan tablet semakin meningkatkan risiko mengalami disabilitas leher karena pengguna gawai perlu menundukkan kepalanya agar lebih jelas melihat saat menggunakan gawai tersebut sehingga derajat fleksi leher juga semakin meningkat. 23 Pernyataan tersebut selaras dengan hasil yang diperlihatkan penelitian ini bahwa penggunaan gawai dalam intensitas yang tinggi dan sangat tinggi disertai dengan layar gawai yang relatif kecil dapat menyebabkan mahasiswa mengalami disabilitas leher. ...
INTENSITAS PENGGUNAAN GAWAI DENGAN TINGKAT DISABILITAS LEHER PADA MAHASISWA FAKULTAS KEDOKTERAN UNIVERSITAS UDAYANA
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2023
Pendahuluan: Pada masa pandemi Covid-19, penggunaan berbagai alat digital semakin meningkat. Hal itu berdampak pada peningkatan intensitas penggunaan gawai, contohnya pada mahasiswa yang melakukan perkuliahan daring. Intensitas yang tinggi dalam menggunakan gawai berisiko menyebabkan masalah kesehatan, salah satunya disabilitas leher. Disabilitas leher dapat disebabkan oleh posisi buruk yang monoton saat menggunakan gawai dalam jangka waktu yang lama. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui hubungan intensitas penggunaan gawai dengan tingkat disabilitas leher pada mahasiswa Program Studi Sarjana Fisioterapi Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Udayana. Metode: Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan desain penelitian korelasional. Jumlah subjek penelitian ini adalah 75 mahasiswa berusia 18 sampai 22 tahun yang dipilih melalui proses simple random sampling. Data diperoleh dari interpretasi intensitas penggunaan gawai menggunakan kuesioner skala intensitas penggunaan gawai dan tingkat disabilitas leher menggunakan kuesioner neck disability index (NDI). Kedua variabel tersebut dianalisis menggunakan chi-square test. Hasil: Mahasiswa yang menjadi subjek mayoritas menggunakan gawai dalam intensitas tinggi dan sangat tinggi yaitu sebanyak 73 orang dengan 41 orang diantaranya mengeluhkan disabilitas ringan dan 5 orang disabilitas sedang, sedangkan sisanya tidak mengalami disabilitas leher. Hasil chi-square test yang diperoleh yaitu nilai p=0,002 sehingga p<0,05 yang berarti Ho ditolak dan Ha diterima. Simpulan: Dapat disimpulkan bahwa terdapat hubungan antara intensitas penggunaan gawai dengan tingkat disabilitas leher pada mahasiswa Program Studi Sarjana Fisioterapi Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Udayana. Hasil penelitian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi acuan preventif megenai intensitas penggunaan gawai agar dapat meminimalisir risiko terjadinya disabilitas leher. Kata Kunci: mahasiswa, intensitas penggunaan gawai, tingkat disabilitas leher
View
... Our study showed that CoP Vm values increased during various activities under both surfaces in the IDG and the TDG. Consistent with previous studies [40][41][42][43], smartphone usage was found to have a detrimental effect on posture, particularly in the neck and trunk regions. These alterations in posture could potentially influence the distribution of plantar pressure and affect stabilometric variables [44], as well as increase postural sway and compromised postural control during smartphone activities [43]. ...
Effects of Smartphone Activities on Postural Balance in Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities
Article
Full-text available
  • Nov 2023
Considering the rising prevalence of smartphone usage among adolescents with intellectual disabilities and their frequent motor challenges, understanding its impact on their physical well-being is important. This study aims to investigate the impact of smartphone activities on postural balance in adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Two groups of adolescents participated in the study: an intellectual disability group (IDG) (n = 16) and atypical development group (TDG) (n = 12). Static postural balance, using a stabilometric platform on firm and foam surfaces, and dynamic balance, using the Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUGT), were performed under various conditions, such as playing a game, watching videos, video calls, and listening to music. The center of pressure (CoP) values significantly increased (p < 0.05) during all smartphone activities (except listening to music) compared to the control condition in both groups, with the IDG demonstrated a more pronounced increase (p < 0.05) during playing video games and video calls on the firm surface. TUGT scores significantly increased (p < 0.05) during smartphone activities, with greater changes observed in the IDG (p < 0.05), and significantly decreased (p < 0.01) during listening to music in both groups. Our study suggests that adolescents with intellectual disabilities need special tools and guidance to ensure their safety and well-being when using smartphones.
View
... Maintaining a constant posture may cause ligaments around the lumbar or neck to be damaged. Moreover, this problem is due to decreased physical activity and muscle fatigue [32] . Ultimately, excessive use of smartphones can cause a slouched head posture to be maintained for a long time, thus inducing stress on the muscles and skeletal changes. ...
The long-term effect of smartphone overuse on Cervical Posture and range of motion in asymptomatic sedentary adults
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2023
Purpose: This study aimed to examine changes in the range of motion (ROM) and cervical posture depending on the duration of using smartphone in sedentary asymptomatic adults. Subjects and Methods: The participants were randomly assigned into 2 groups: group A (those using smartphones for less than 4 h/day, n=200) and group B (those using smartphones for more than 4 h/day, n=200). The cervical posture was determined by measuring the craniovertebral angle (CVA) of all participants using the photographic method. Cervical flexion, extension, rotation (left and right), and side bending (left and right) range of motion (ROM) were measured by using an electromagnetic tracking device (MTD) mounted on a custom headpiece. Results: Significant differences were noted for cervical CVA and ROM between the groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The long-term effect of the smartphone overuse could negatively affect cervical posture and range of motion.
View
... The originality of the questionnaire was to have integrated a wide range of postures covering the majority of activities performed with a smartphone, i.e. texting, web browsing, watching video, gaming, photos and selfies, and calling. They were obtained on the basis of works addressing the issue of postures when using smartphone [8,15,16,22,23,25,[27][28][29][30][31]. The synthesis of these works led to propose taxonomy of 41 postures called SmarTaxo (Table 1). ...
Effect of day time on smartphone use posture and related musculoskeletal disorders risk: a survey among university students
Article
Full-text available
Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most important problems among young smartphone users worldwide. Portability leads to a wide variety of postures during the different activities of the day. The objective evaluation of these postures coupled with ergonomic tools allows evaluating the level of MSD risk to which users are exposed. Methods The purpose was to investigate the effect of the time of day on the posture adopted during smartphone use among university students. The study was conducted through a cross-sectional survey of 263 university sports students. Four time of day, i.e. morning, afternoon, evening and night, and a taxonomy of 41 postures called SmarTaxo were considered. SmarTaxo included 18 sitting, 11 standing, 10 lying and 2 walking postures and their ergonomic score. After checking the normality of the data, a non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test was used to study the effect of the time of day on the use duration of the different postures. Results The total mean duration use per typical weekday was 5.39 ± 2.19 h for males and 5.15 ± 1.60 h for females with maximal duration during evening. The average smartphone use durations were statistically longer in afternoon and evening for all sitting (9.44 and 9.22 min respectively, p < 0.05) and calling (3.38 and 3.33 min respectively, p < 0.05) postures. The longest duration for standing postures was recorded for afternoon (8.91 min, p < 0.05). The lying postures were significantly more present in evening (19.36 min). Some postures were more used during a time of day. The side-lying posture was used more in evening and has an ergonomic score of 6, i.e. a high MSD risk. Conclusions The survey showed that users are exposed to MSDs regardless of posture and time of day. Sitting postures are used more in the morning and afternoon while lying postures are used more in the evening. As long as the rate of use is so high (> 5 h per day), young people will remain highly exposed to MSDs.
View
... When using a smartphone, users tend to bow their heads to be able to focus on staring at the smartphone so that the degree of neck flexion increases and stress will move to the neck area. 17 This accumulated stress can later change the neck curvature slowly. If left unchecked, the neck will adapt to this bad posture and other complications, such as upper-cross syndrome, which is accompanied by the appearance of a forward head posture. ...
The Relation Between Smartphone Use with Forward Head Posture Occurrence in Undergraduate Physiotherapy Student
Article
  • Dec 2022
Introduction: College students use smartphones with a high level of use, high levels of smartphone use due to various purposes such as academic and non-academic needs, and prolonged use of smartphones with poor posture can cause permanent changes in posture to their users. One of the posture changes that can occur is the forward head posture (FHP). Methods: The research design was a cross-sectional study conducted from August to December 2021 with a population of Udayana University Physiotherapy students who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The sampling technique in this study was purposive sampling, and obtained 62 samples. This study used the YourHour application and Web Plot Digitizer to measure the duration of smartphone use and the craniovertebral angle, respectively. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16.0 to determine the relationship between smartphone use with forward head posture occurrence in physiotherapy students. Results: The majority of students who were in the research sample used smartphones with a high level of duration, as many as 46 samples; in 46 samples with a high level of duration found, 28 samples experienced forward head posture, in students with moderate and low duration levels, forward head posture is rare. The results of the chi-square obtained are p-value = 0.009. it indicates that there is a relationship between the dependent variable and the independent variable. Conclusion: There is a relationship between the duration of smartphone conditions and forward head posture in students of the Physiotherapy Undergraduate Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University. In this study, it can be seen that the forward head posture is the majority of smartphones with high intensity.
View
... In general, smartphone overuse impacts the users' physical, psychological, and social aspects (van Velthoven et al., 2018). A study by Lee et al. (2016) found that excessive duration of smartphone use causes neck flexion and problems in the skeletal and muscular systems. In addition, several physical impacts could occur due to problematic smartphone use, such as pain in the neck, lower back, and shoulders (Alsalameh et al., 2019). ...
Family Rituals and Problematic Smartphone Use in Adolescents
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2023
Family factors have been identified as potential protective or risk factors for problematic smartphone use in adolescents, yet studies on family rituals as one of the important family factors are scarce. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between family rituals and problematic smartphone use in adolescents. Family rituals were measured using the Family Ritual Questionnaire (FRQ), and problematic smartphone use was measured using the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale (MPPUS). Both measurements were validated in the Indonesian version. Using a cross-sectional approach, we applied a convenience sampling method. Two hundred and twelve adolescents aged 12-18 (girls= 113, boys= 98; Mean age= 14.56, SD= 1.41) participated in this study. The data was analyzed using Spearman's rho correlation analysis. The results show no significant correlation between family rituals and problematic smartphone use in adolescents (r = 0.01; p > 0.05). Further investigation involving family communication as a mediating variable is strongly recommended.
View
... Maintaining a constant posture may cause ligaments around the lumbar or neck to be damaged. Moreover, this problem is due to decreased physical activity and muscle fatigue [32] . Ultimately, excessive use of smartphones can cause a slouched head posture to be maintained for a long time, thus inducing stress on the muscles and skeletal changes. ...
View
Association between Smartphone Addiction and Breathing Pattern in Sedentary Young College-Going Students - A Cross-Sectional Study
Article
  • Dec 2023
A BSTRACT Background The number of smartphone users has progressively increased worldwide. Altered biomechanics of the cervicothoracic spine and ribcage could limit the chest wall function that affects the respiratory muscles strength, reducing diaphragm function in smartphone users. This study aimed to compare breathing patterns between smartphone-addicted and -nonaddicted user groups. Objective To find the association between excessive smartphone use and breathing pattern in sedentary young college-going students. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study includes 230 participants. The participants were screened for the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were asked to fill out a Smartphone Addiction Scale questionnaire. These breathing patterns were then assessed by self-evaluation of breathing questionnaire (SEBQ), manual assessment of respiratory motion (MARM), breath-holding test, and capnography. Results The correlation of smartphone-addicted and -nonaddicted groups with breathing patterns was performed by Spearman rank correlation. Results show no significant association between the smartphone-nonaddicted and -addicted users. Conclusion This study concluded that excessive smartphone use and breathing patterns are not associated.
View
View
THE EFFECT OF SLING-BASED MANUAL THERAPY AND STABILIZATION EXERCISE FOR IMPROVING CERVICAL ALIGNMENT AND MOBILITY IN INDIVIDUAL WITH FORWARD HEAD POSTURE
Article
Full-text available
  • Sep 2022
Individual that greater use of information and communication technologies such as computer, smartphone, or other media has the tendency failure of body postures. Laptop usage has been associated with adolescent neck pain, with daily use of computers exceeding 2-3 hours as a threshold to forward head posture. Forward head posture can affect the result of reducing cervical alignment and mobility of the neck. There are exercises that intention to improving the cervical alignment and mobility, particularly sling-based manual therapy and stabilization exercise. A sling device provide the research subject with optimal loading of each target segment, in actual neutral position, and an environment for exercise in a closed kinetic chain. Spinal mobilization techniques used in manual spinal treatment activate the descending pathway from the peritubular gray region (PAG) of the midbrain. Moreover, stabilization exercise affect postural control through concurrent contractions of the agonist and antagonist muscles to improving cervical alignment and mobility. Key Words: Sling; Manual Therapy; Stabilization Exercise; Cervical Alignment; Cervical Mobility; Forward Head Posture
View
The effects of gait with use of smartphone on repositioning error and curvature of the lumbar spine
Article
Full-text available
  • Sep 2015
[Purpose] This study evaluated the effect of smartphone use on lumbar spine repositioning error and lumbar curvature while walking on a treadmill. [Subjects] A total of 20 healthy individuals (18 males and 2 females) volunteered for this study. [Methods] The subjects walked for 20 min on a treadmill while using a smartphone. To determine the effect of smartphone use, lumbar repositioning error was measured using an electronic goniometer while lumbar curvature was assessed using a Spinal Mouse before and immediately after treadmill use. Differences in the lumbar repositioning error and lumbar curvature data between the pre- and post-walking were compared using the paired t-test. [Results] The lumbar spine repositioning error was significantly greater post-walking compared with pre-walking (6.70±2.91° vs. 3.02±1.79°). There was no significant difference in lumbar curvature between pre- and post-walking (14.24±3.18° vs. 13.94±3.12°). [Conclusion] These findings indicate that the lumbar repositioning error increased immediately after walking while using a smartphone, but that the lumbar curvature was unchanged.
View
The effects of smartphone use on upper extremity muscle activity and pain threshold
Article
Full-text available
  • Jun 2015
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine whether muscle activity and pressure-induced pain in the upper extremities are affected by smartphone use, and to compare the effects of phone handling with one hand and with both hands. [Subjects] The study subjects were asymptomatic women 20-22 years of age. [Methods] The subjects sat in a chair with their feet on the floor and the elbow flexed, holding a smartphone positioned on the thigh. Subsequently, the subjects typed the Korean anthem for 3 min, one-handed or with both hands. Each subject repeated the task three times, with a 5-min rest period between tasks to minimize fatigue. Electromyography (EMG) was used to record the muscle activity of the upper trapezius (UT), extensor pollicis longus (EPL), and abductor pollicis (AP) during phone operation. We also used a dolorimeter to measure the pressure-induced pain threshold in the UT. [Results] We observed higher muscle activity in the UT, AP, and EPL in one-handed smartphone use than in its two-handed use. The pressure-induced pain threshold of the UT was lower after use of the smartphone, especially after one-handed use. [Conclusion] Our results show that smartphone operation with one hand caused greater UT pain and induced increased upper extremity muscle activity.
View
The relationship between smartphone use and subjective musculoskeletal symptoms and university students
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2015
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of smartphones by university students in selected areas, their musculoskeletal symptoms, and the associated hazard ratio. [Subjects and Methods] This involved the completion of a self-administered questionnaire by dental hygiene students in Seoul, Gyeonggido, and Gyeongsangbukdo. The 292 completed copies of the questionnaire were then analyzed. [Results] The most painful body regions after the use of smartphones were found to be the shoulders and neck. In the musculoskeletal system, back pain was found to have a positive correlation with the size of the smartphone's liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, and pain in legs and feet were found to have a negative correlation with the length of time that the smartphone was used. As a result, it was revealed that the use of a smartphone was correlated with musculoskeletal symptoms. [Conclusion] Therefore, in today's environment, where the use of smartphones is on the rise, it is necessary to improve the ways that they are used and to develop a preventive program to alleviate the symptoms of musculoskeletal damage.
View
Influence of neck pain on cervical movement in the sagittal plane during smartphone use
Article
Full-text available
  • Feb 2015
[Purpose] Smartphone use reportedly changes posture. However, how neck posture is altered in smartphone users with neck pain is unknown. This study examined changes in the posture of young adults with and without mild neck pain (MNP) when using a smartphone. [Subjects] Thirteen control subjects and 14 subjects with MNP who used smartphones were recruited. [Methods] The upper cervical (UC) and lower cervical (LC) angles in the sagittal plane were measured using an ultrasound-based motion analysis system while the seated subjects used a smartphone for 5 min. [Results] During smartphone use, the MNP group exhibited greater UC and LC flexion angles than the control group. [Conclusion] These findings suggest that young adults with MNP are more careful and more frequently utilize a neutral neck posture than young adults without MNP when using a smartphone while sitting.
View
The Comparison of Cervical Repositioning Errors According to Smartphone Addiction Grades
Article
Full-text available
  • Apr 2014
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare cervical repositioning errors according to smartphone addiction grades of adults in their 20s. [Subjects and Methods] A survey of smartphone addiction was conducted of 200 adults. Based on the survey results, 30 subjects were chosen to participate in this study, and they were divided into three groups of 10; a Normal Group, a Moderate Addiction Group, and a Severe Addiction Group. After attaching a C-ROM, we measured the cervical repositioning errors of flexion, extension, right lateral flexion and left lateral flexion. [Results] Significant differences in the cervical repositioning errors of flexion, extension, and right and left lateral flexion were found among the Normal Group, Moderate Addiction Group, and Severe Addiction Group. In particular, the Severe Addiction Group showed the largest errors. [Conclusion] The result indicates that as smartphone addiction becomes more severe, a person is more likely to show impaired proprioception, as well as impaired ability to recognize the right posture. Thus, musculoskeletal problems due to smartphone addiction should be resolved through social cognition and intervention, and physical therapeutic education and intervention to educate people about correct postures.
View
Touch-screen tablet user configurations and case-supported tilt affect head and neck flexion angles
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2012
The aim of this study was to determine how head and neck postures vary when using two media tablet (slate) computers in four common user configurations. Fifteen experienced media tablet users completed a set of simulated tasks with two media tablets in four typical user configurations. The four configurations were: on the lap and held with the user's hands, on the lap and in a case, on a table and in a case, and on a table and in a case set at a high angle for watching movies. An infra-red LED marker based motion analysis system measured head/neck postures. Head and neck flexion significantly varied across the four configurations and across the two tablets tested. Head and neck flexion angles during tablet use were greater, in general, than angles previously reported for desktop and notebook computing. Postural differences between tablets were driven by case designs, which provided significantly different tilt angles, while postural differences between configurations were driven by gaze and viewing angles. Head and neck posture during tablet computing can be improved by placing the tablet higher to avoid low gaze angles (i.e. on a table rather than on the lap) and through the use of a case that provides optimal viewing angles.
View
Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance
Article
Full-text available
Humans and other animals express power through open, expansive postures, and they express powerlessness through closed, contractive postures. But can these postures actually cause power? The results of this study confirmed our prediction that posing in high-power nonverbal displays (as opposed to low-power nonverbal displays) would cause neuroendocrine and behavioral changes for both male and female participants: High-power posers experienced elevations in testosterone, decreases in cortisol, and increased feelings of power and tolerance for risk; low-power posers exhibited the opposite pattern. In short, posing in displays of power caused advantaged and adaptive psychological, physiological, and behavioral changes, and these findings suggest that embodiment extends beyond mere thinking and feeling, to physiology and subsequent behavioral choices. That a person can, by assuming two simple 1-min poses, embody power and instantly become more powerful has real-world, actionable implications.
View
The Reliability and Validity of Hip Range of Motion Measurement using a Smart phone Operative Patient
Article
  • May 2015
PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to assess the intra-tester and inter-tester reliability and validity of hip range of motion using a smart phone in hip operative patients. METHODS: Twenty-five patients (eight total hip arthroplasty and seventeen femur neck fracture) participated in this study. The range of motions in active and passive hip flexion, abduction and external rotation were measured with a goniometer and smart phone over two times by two observers. The intra-tester and inter-tester reliability were evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1). The validity was measured by Pearson`s correlation coefficient RESULTS: The intra-observer reliability was good in all measured items (ICC>0.78). The inter-observer reliability was high with ICC (>0.90). All correlation coefficients of smart phone and goniometer was greater than 0.85 and showed a significant positive correlation (p
View
The Study of Muscle Fatigue and Risks of Musculoskeletal System Disorders from Text Inputting on a Smartphone
Article
  • Jun 2013
Objective: This study aims to analyze and evaluate fatigue in upper trapezius muscles of adults when inputting text on a smart phone, thereby examining the risk of cumulative trauma disorders in the musculoskeletal system of the upper extremity. Method: Forty-five healthy adults were divided equally into three groups: a smartphone group, a notebook group, and a desktop group. A surface electromyogram was placed on the upper trapezius muscle of each participant, after which they inputted text for ten minutes within an ergonomic setting; their side posture was recorded on video and analyzed. Results: The spectral edge frequency values for the smartphone group, as recorded from the upper right trapezius muscles on the surface electromyogram, showed a significant decrease(p
View
Development and Psychometric Testing of Korean Language Versions of 4 Neck Pain and Disability Questionnaires
Article
Cohort study. To develop and establish the psychometric properties of Korean versions of 4 neck pain and disability questionnaires: the Neck Disability Index, Neck Pain and Disability Scale, Functional Rating Index, and Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SFMPQ). To our knowledge, there are no published Korean language neck pain and disability measures. Versions of each questionnaire in idiomatic modern Korean were developed with a process involving initial independent translation, synthesis of the translations, independent back translation, and review by an expert committee to achieve equivalence with the original English. Psychometric testing of the questionnaires with 261 subjects was undertaken to examine test-retest reliability, internal consistency, discriminative validity, and longitudinal construct validity. Test-retest reliability of the translated versions of the 3 disability questionnaires was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient[2,1] = 0.86-0.90). High internal consistency was found in the 3 disability questionnaires (Cronbach-alpha ranged from alpha = 0.88 for the Functional Rating Index to alpha = 0.96 for the Neck Pain and Disability Scale, and 0.82 for the SFMPQ). The visual analog scale subscale of the SFMPQ was the most responsive of the subscales (effect size = 1.44, standardized response mean = 1.37). The visual analog scale was also the most responsive pain and disability index in internal responsiveness analysis, although disability indexes showed marginally better responsiveness when compared with external standards. No floor or ceiling effects were observed. We conclude that the questionnaires were successfully translated and show acceptable measurement properties, and, as such, are suitable for use in clinical and research applications.
View