The neck flexion angle increases with difficulty of tasks performed on a smartphone

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Ergonomics
• Public Health

Background:

• Smartphone adoption is widespread, leading to increased musculoskeletal discomfort.
• Neck pain, or text neck syndrome, is linked to prolonged neck flexion postures.
• Understanding smartphone use posture is crucial for mitigating associated health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify neck flexion angles during smartphone use based on task difficulty.
• To identify factors correlating with increased neck flexion while using smartphones.
• To investigate the relationship between daily smartphone usage duration and neck posture.

Main Methods:

• 24 healthy adults participated in the study.
• VICON motion analysis system captured neck flexion angles.
• Three conditions were tested: normal standing, watching a video, and typing on a smartphone.

Main Results:

• Neck flexion angles significantly differed across conditions (p < 0.001).
• Typing (30.52° ± 7.83°) and watching (26.02° ± 6.28°) showed greater flexion than control (0.71° ± 7.05°).
• Higher daily smartphone usage correlated with increased neck flexion during typing (r = 0.531, p = 0.008).

Conclusions:

• Task difficulty on smartphones directly increases neck flexion angles.
• Individuals with higher daily smartphone usage exhibit more pronounced neck flexion postures.
• Findings highlight the ergonomic risks of prolonged smartphone use and suggest potential interventions.