Smartphone AddictionNCT05885893
Smartphone Addiction Level and Neck Muscle
An observational study of Smartphone Addiction and Neck Muscle Issue, run by Suleyman Demirel University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Background/aim:The study was conducted to determine the smartphone addiction level of youths and to investigate the effect of addiction level on neck pain, functional level, pressure pain threshold (PPT) level, and muscle activation of neck muscles (upper trapezius (UT), cervical erector spina (CES)… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 15 to 25 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Smartphone Addiction, Neck Muscle Issue
- How many people
- 112 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 10 Dec 2017to 15 Jun 2019
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 15 to 25 years
- Men only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Study population: A total of 112 male university students studying at Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation were included in study.
Who may be able to join
- to be studying at Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation,
- volunteering to participate in the study,
- for the past 6 months, using a smartphone for at least 2 hours a day.
Who cannot join
- a history of surgical intervention or traumatic injury in the spine and upper extremity,
- chronic disease affecting the musculoskeletal system such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and other connective soft tissue diseases,
- sensory impairment in the spine or upper extremities to have a neurological and orthopedic disorder,
- activities such as long-term reading, which will affect the flexion posture of the head, have been performed in the last 1 month,
- having done exercises involving neck muscles in the last 1 month.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Smartphone Addiction Level on Neck Pain, Functional Status and Muscle Activation
Background/aim:The study was conducted to determine the smartphone addiction level of youths and to investigate the effect of addiction level on neck pain, functional level, pressure pain threshold (PPT) level, and muscle activation of neck muscles (upper trapezius (UT), cervical erector spina (CES), sternocleidomastoideus (SCM)).
Methods:Superficial electromyography, PPT, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) were used as assessment tools.
Read the detailed description
Smartphones, which are used quite frequently among adolescents, are becoming more and more indispensable in daily life and offer a wide variety of mobile applications for information, communication, education, and entertainment. The use of smartphones includes many user profiles such as teenagers, adults, children, working or not working. However, when looking at the smartphone user profile, it is seen that the largest proportion belongs to the young population.
With the increasing frequency of use and addiction, many physiological, psychological, and social problems are encountered today. These problems can be classified into two categories that are psychological disorders (sleep disorders, aggressive or depressive symptoms, high anxiety level, low life satisfaction, dropping out of school, and antisocial personality disorder) and physiological disorders (dry eyes, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck or back pain, postural disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, and migraine headaches). Regarding its adverse effects on physical health, especially the increase in neck pain and the decrease in daily life activities and functionality are emphasized. The effects of smartphone use on the functional level are associated with the cervical posture and the sensitivity, spasm and proprioceptive disorders in the neck circumference structures created by this posture. Smartphone addiction and computer addiction, which has similar effects, are associated with neck problems and disability in healthy young people. It has been reported that smartphone addiction in students negatively affects physical health by reducing the amount of physical activity such as walking. In the literature, an increase in muscle fatigue and increased sensitivity in cervical erector spina (CES) and upper trapezius (UT) muscles have been reported due to prolonged smartphone use. Although there are data on the negative effects of smartphone use on many physiological parameters such as pain and functional level in the literature, there is a need for studies evaluating the effect of smartphone addiction, which has emerged as an important concept in recent years.
Posture during phone use stands out as the primary cause of musculoskeletal disorders associated with smartphone use. During the use of the smartphone, the person maintains the posture in which the head is in flexion and the shoulder is in protraction for a long time to look at the device. It is known that the loads on the neck increase with the flexion of the head. This situation has effects not only on the neck musculoskeletal system but also on the shoulder and spine as it creates muscle imbalance. In current studies, it has been emphasized that posture disorder during smartphone use changes the activity of the UT muscle, CES muscle, neck extensor muscles, and hand muscles.
There are various studies in the literature on muscle activation changes, musculoskeletal system changes, and changes in daily living activities with the use of smartphones. However, it is thought that there is a need for a study that correlates smartphone addiction with musculoskeletal problems such as pain and sensitivity, muscle activation changes in the neck muscles, and changes in functional status. It is thought that the determination of physiological effects such as neck pain and muscle activations that they cause even when they do not use phones, even when they do not use telephone, are thought to be effective in terms of drawing attention to the importance of preventing them. In light of this information, our study aimed to examine the effect of smartphone addiction levels on neck pain, functional status, and muscle activation.
- Conditions
- Smartphone Addiction, Neck Muscle Issue
- Keywords
- Smartphone Addiction, Neck Muscles, Pain, Muscle Activation, Functional Status
- Medical subject headings
- Internet Addiction Disorder, Pain
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Neck Pain Intensity Assessment
The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the neck pain intensity. VAS is a continuous scale, it is a horizontal line of 100 mm in length, anchored by 2 adjectives: zero representing no pain in the left anchor and 10 representing worst imaginable pain at the right anchor. The participant was asked to mark the point corresponding to the intensity of pain felt on this line. The numerical value found indicates the pain severity of the participants.
Measured: 1 month
Smartphone Addiction Level Assessment
The smartphone addiction level was assessed by Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). The assessment of validity and reliability of its Turkish version in a younger population was performed. SAS is a suitable tool for assessing smartphone addiction in younger population. The scale consists of 7 factors that evaluate daily life disturbance and tolerance (1. factor), withdrawal symptoms (2. factor), positive expectation (3. factor), cyber-oriented relationships (4. factor), excessive use (5. factor), social network addiction (6. factor) and physical symptoms (7. factor). The scores on the scale can range from 33 to 198. High score indicating a more serious smartphone addiction level.
Measured: 1 month
Functional Level Assessment
Functional level was assessed by the Neck Disability Index (NDI). The assessment of validity and reliability of its Turkish version was performed. Survey questions; Daily life activities such as lifting, working, driving, resting consist of 4 titles, optional activities in daily life such as personal care consist of 2 titles, and subjective symptoms such as pain sensitivity, headache, concentration, sleep consist of 4 titles. The highest score is 50 and the lowest score is 0. Classification by total score; 0-4 points no disability, 5-14 points mild disability, 15-24 points moderate disability, 25-34 points severe disability, 34 points and above completely disability. The participants were asked to answer the questions based on the neck pain they felt during the past 1 week.
Measured: 1 month
Pain Sensitivity Level Assessment
Pressure pain threshold (PPT) is used to assess sensitivity to pain and pressure perception. Using a Wagner Instruments, Force Dial (TM FDK/FDN, Greenwich, CT, USA) device, a constant force of 1 kg / cm2 was applied to the CES, UT and SCM muscles bilaterally. The pressure pain threshold measurement at each site was repeated three times and the average of the three repetitions was used for further analysis. Participants rested for 5 minutes between each measurement.
Measured: 1 month
Muscle Activation Level Assessment
The activation of neck muscles consisting of SCM, UT and CES muscles were measured by surface electromyography (sEMG). Measurements were made in the resting position bilaterally. For the resting position, the patient was evaluated in a chair without back support, in a sitting position with arms supported in front, and a posture without pain.
Measured: 1 month
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Jun 2023
- Study start10 Dec 2017
- Primary completion1 Jun 2019
- Study completion15 Jun 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Smartphone AddictionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
- Enrolment
- 112 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Suleyman Demirel University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Menekse Safak, Suleyman Demirel University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05885893
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- MS2022/033
- Status last verified
- May 2023
- First submitted
- 18 Apr 2023
- Last updated
- 2 Jun 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Jun 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Smartphone Addiction Level on Neck Pain, Functional Status and Muscle Activation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05885893
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MS2022/033
- Conditions
- Smartphone Addiction, Neck Muscle Issue
- Keywords
- Smartphone Addiction, Neck Muscles, Pain, Muscle Activation, Functional Status
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 112 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Suleyman Demirel UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Dec 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jun 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 Jun 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Jun 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Background/aim:The study was conducted to determine the smartphone addiction level of youths and to investigate the effect of addiction level on neck pain, functional level, pressure pain threshold (PPT) level, and muscle activation of neck muscles (upper trapezius (UT), cervical erector spina (CES), sternocleidomastoideus (SCM)).
Methods:Superficial electromyography, PPT, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) were used as assessment tools.
Detailed description
Smartphones, which are used quite frequently among adolescents, are becoming more and more indispensable in daily life and offer a wide variety of mobile applications for information, communication, education, and entertainment. The use of smartphones includes many user profiles such as teenagers, adults, children, working or not working. However, when looking at the smartphone user profile, it is seen that the largest proportion belongs to the young population.
With the increasing frequency of use and addiction, many physiological, psychological, and social problems are encountered today. These problems can be classified into two categories that are psychological disorders (sleep disorders, aggressive or depressive symptoms, high anxiety level, low life satisfaction, dropping out of school, and antisocial personality disorder) and physiological disorders (dry eyes, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck or back pain, postural disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, and migraine headaches). Regarding its adverse effects on physical health, especially the increase in neck pain and the decrease in daily life activities and functionality are emphasized. The effects of smartphone use on the functional level are associated with the cervical posture and the sensitivity, spasm and proprioceptive disorders in the neck circumference structures created by this posture. Smartphone addiction and computer addiction, which has similar effects, are associated with neck problems and disability in healthy young people. It has been reported that smartphone addiction in students negatively affects physical health by reducing the amount of physical activity such as walking. In the literature, an increase in muscle fatigue and increased sensitivity in cervical erector spina (CES) and upper trapezius (UT) muscles have been reported due to prolonged smartphone use. Although there are data on the negative effects of smartphone use on many physiological parameters such as pain and functional level in the literature, there is a need for studies evaluating the effect of smartphone addiction, which has emerged as an important concept in recent years.
Posture during phone use stands out as the primary cause of musculoskeletal disorders associated with smartphone use. During the use of the smartphone, the person maintains the posture in which the head is in flexion and the shoulder is in protraction for a long time to look at the device. It is known that the loads on the neck increase with the flexion of the head. This situation has effects not only on the neck musculoskeletal system but also on the shoulder and spine as it creates muscle imbalance. In current studies, it has been emphasized that posture disorder during smartphone use changes the activity of the UT muscle, CES muscle, neck extensor muscles, and hand muscles.
There are various studies in the literature on muscle activation changes, musculoskeletal system changes, and changes in daily living activities with the use of smartphones. However, it is thought that there is a need for a study that correlates smartphone addiction with musculoskeletal problems such as pain and sensitivity, muscle activation changes in the neck muscles, and changes in functional status. It is thought that the determination of physiological effects such as neck pain and muscle activations that they cause even when they do not use phones, even when they do not use telephone, are thought to be effective in terms of drawing attention to the importance of preventing them. In light of this information, our study aimed to examine the effect of smartphone addiction levels on neck pain, functional status, and muscle activation.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Other
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 15 to 25 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
- Study population
- A total of 112 male university students studying at Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation were included in study.
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- to be studying at Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation,
- volunteering to participate in the study,
- for the past 6 months, using a smartphone for at least 2 hours a day.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- a history of surgical intervention or traumatic injury in the spine and upper extremity,
- chronic disease affecting the musculoskeletal system such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and other connective soft tissue diseases,
- sensory impairment in the spine or upper extremities to have a neurological and orthopedic disorder,
- activities such as long-term reading, which will affect the flexion posture of the head, have been performed in the last 1 month,
- having done exercises involving neck muscles in the last 1 month.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Neck Pain Intensity Assessment
Time frame: 1 month
The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the neck pain intensity. VAS is a continuous scale, it is a horizontal line of 100 mm in length, anchored by 2 adjectives: zero representing no pain in the left anchor and 10 representing worst imaginable pain at the right anchor. The participant was asked to mark the point corresponding to the intensity of pain felt on this line. The numerical value found indicates the pain severity of the participants.
Smartphone Addiction Level Assessment
Time frame: 1 month
The smartphone addiction level was assessed by Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). The assessment of validity and reliability of its Turkish version in a younger population was performed. SAS is a suitable tool for assessing smartphone addiction in younger population. The scale consists of 7 factors that evaluate daily life disturbance and tolerance (1. factor), withdrawal symptoms (2. factor), positive expectation (3. factor), cyber-oriented relationships (4. factor), excessive use (5. factor), social network addiction (6. factor) and physical symptoms (7. factor). The scores on the scale can range from 33 to 198. High score indicating a more serious smartphone addiction level.
Functional Level Assessment
Time frame: 1 month
Functional level was assessed by the Neck Disability Index (NDI). The assessment of validity and reliability of its Turkish version was performed. Survey questions; Daily life activities such as lifting, working, driving, resting consist of 4 titles, optional activities in daily life such as personal care consist of 2 titles, and subjective symptoms such as pain sensitivity, headache, concentration, sleep consist of 4 titles. The highest score is 50 and the lowest score is 0. Classification by total score; 0-4 points no disability, 5-14 points mild disability, 15-24 points moderate disability, 25-34 points severe disability, 34 points and above completely disability. The participants were asked to answer the questions based on the neck pain they felt during the past 1 week.
Pain Sensitivity Level Assessment
Time frame: 1 month
Pressure pain threshold (PPT) is used to assess sensitivity to pain and pressure perception. Using a Wagner Instruments, Force Dial (TM FDK/FDN, Greenwich, CT, USA) device, a constant force of 1 kg / cm2 was applied to the CES, UT and SCM muscles bilaterally. The pressure pain threshold measurement at each site was repeated three times and the average of the three repetitions was used for further analysis. Participants rested for 5 minutes between each measurement.
Muscle Activation Level Assessment
Time frame: 1 month
The activation of neck muscles consisting of SCM, UT and CES muscles were measured by surface electromyography (sEMG). Measurements were made in the resting position bilaterally. For the resting position, the patient was evaluated in a chair without back support, in a sitting position with arms supported in front, and a posture without pain.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Jun 2023.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Smartphone Addiction and Neck Muscle Issue, run by Suleyman Demirel University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Jun 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Neck Pain Intensity Assessment (time frame: 1 month). The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Jun 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 31 Oct 2026.