Smartphone addiction, musculoskeletal pain and functionality in university students - a observational study

Smartphone addiction and its excessive use could cause musculoskeletal symptoms such neck and upper limb pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between smartphone use and musculoskeletal pain in the upper limbs and neck, as well as to observe the relationship in between smartphone addiction and musculoskeletal pain and upper limb function in university students. It is a cross-sectional, analytical study. A total of 165 university students participated in the research. Each student had their own smartphone. The students answered a structured questionnaire about pain in the upper limbs and neck; the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire (DASH). Prevalence of neck and upper limb pain was 34.0%. Smartphone addiction and its use to play games and listen to music were risk factors to upper limb pain. Moreover, the smartphone addiction and age proved to be risk factors to neck pain. There was correlation between DASH and SPAI scores, and there was association between DASH score and neck and upper limb pain. Being of the female sex and smartphone addiction predicted the risk of incapacity development. We found association between neck and upper limb pain with smartphone addiction. Functional incapacity was associated to neck and upper limb pain. It was predicted by smartphone addiction and being of the female sex.