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NCT Number: NCT04256031

Effects of Smartphone Use on Posture, Pain, Function and QoL

The aim of the study is to determine the effects of the use of smartphone on the neck and shoulder posture, pain, and functions, and the quality of life in young adults. The sample of the study consists of university students. According to the scores they got from the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, all participants will be divided into two groups. The neck and shoulder posture, pain, and functions, and the quality of life will be compared between the two groups.

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Key information

Conditions

Postural; Defect Arthralgia Behavior Behavior, Addictive Compulsive Behavior Impulsive Behavior Internet Addiction Disorder Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Neck Pain Neck Pain, Posterior Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Quality of Life Shoulder Pain Signs and Symptoms Technology Addiction

Age range

18 year–25 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Yeditepe University

Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

The study will include 106 university students who are 18-25 years old. According to the scores they got from the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, all students will be divided into two groups as Excessive Smartphone Use Group and Non-excessive Smartphone Use Group, both consisting of 53 participants. Participants whose scores are higher than 30 will be included to the Excessive Smartphone Use Group, and whose scores are 30 or less will be included to the Non-excessive Smartphone Use Group. In the assessment of pain level, the Visual Analogue Scale will be used. Functional levels of the neck and shoulders will be evaluated with the Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale and the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire. World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form will be utilized to assess the quality of life. Postural analyzes of the participants will be fulfilled with the New York Posture Rating Chart. All scores will be evaluated by comparing between the two groups.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • To be willing and volunteer to participate in the study
  • To be between 18 and 25 years old
  • To have been using smartphone for more than 1 year

Exclusion criteria

  • To have any health problem history or diagnosed pathology related with the neck or shoulder regions
  • To have any history of trauma or surgery related to the neck or shoulder regions
  • To have received any medical attention or treatment in the last six months because of a health problem related to neck or shoulder
  • To have any diagnosed neurological problem

Treatment and study plan

Assessment

Other

The structured questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale, Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale, Shoulder Disability Questionnaire, World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form, and Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version will be applied to all participants respectively. Lastly, posture analysis will be performed to all participants by using the New York Posture Rating Chart.

Primary outcomes

  1. Posture

    Time frame: 1 day (Instant single measure)

    Posture will be examined with New York Posture Rating Chart which is a quantitative approach to assess the alignment of various body parts from posterior and lateral. The total score calculated after the evaluation is at most 65, and at least 13. The low score indicates impairments in posture.

  2. Pain level

    Time frame: 1 day (Instant single measure)

    In the assessment of the neck and shoulder pain levels the Visual Analogue Scale will be used. This scale is 10 cm long, and has two ends on a horizontal line. One of these two ends is called as "0", while one is named as "10". "0" point defines no pain, and "10" points describe the most severe pain.

  3. Neck function

    Time frame: 1 day (Instant single measure)

    Functional level of the neck will be evaluated with the Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale. It is a valid and reliable tool for self-assessment of cervical pain and related disabilities, developed by Jordan el al. in 1998. The minimum score of the scale is 0, while the maximum score is 30. Disability level increases as the total score increases.

  4. Shoulder function

    Time frame: 1 day (Instant single measure)

    Functional level of the shoulder will be evaluated with the Shoulder Disability Questionnaire. It is a 16-items disability questionnaire related to shoulder pain. The result is calculated with a special formula, and evaluated out of 100. Disability level increases as the total score increases.

  5. Quality of life level

    Time frame: 1 day (Instant single measure)

    World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form will be utilized to assess the quality of life of participants. This questionnaire has been developed by World Health Organization, and has been validated in 1999 by Eser et al. in Turkish population. The scale does not have a total score, each field of the scale is evaluated independently in itself and is scored out of 20 or 100 points. The higher the score shows the higher the quality of life level.

  6. Smartphone addiction level

    Time frame: 1 day (Instant single measure)

    In determining the smartphone addiction levels of the participants, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version will be utilized. It is a self-assessment tool questioning smartphone usage, constituted by Kwon et al in 2013. The validity and reliability study of its Turkish version was made by Noyan et al. in 2015. The cut-off score for Turkish population was detected both for male and female students in 2017 by Şata and Karip. The lowest score of the scale is 10, while the highest score is 60. As the score obtained from the scale increases, the severity of smartphone addiction increases.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Yeditepe University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of the Effects of Smartphone Use on Posture, Pain, Function and Quality of Life in Young Adults

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2020
Study completion
2020
First posted
Feb 5, 2020
Registry last updated
Mar 5, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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