Evaluating the relationship between smartphone addiction/overuse and musculoskeletal pain among medical students at Taif University

Abstract

Background: Smartphone use has recently increased, and smartphones do the most common daily tasks. Therefore, a lot of time spent on these devices can be associated with a bad posture that can lead to musculoskeletal pain. Thus, in this study, we aim to raise awareness and assess the relationship between smartphone addiction/overuse and musculoskeletal pain among Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, medical students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Taif University. The Problematic Use of Mobile Phones (PUMP) scale was used to estimate the level of smartphone addiction; meanwhile, Nordic Musculoskeletal Scale was used to assess musculoskeletal pain. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to associate PUMP scores with demographic factors and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire items. Results: The study included 285 participants, of which 67.4% were males. The average PUMP score among participants was 62.3. Neck pain was reported by 61.1% of participants, upper and lower back pains were reported by 37.5% and 47.7%, respectively, and 41.4% reported shoulder pain. PUMP score was significantly associated with age (p = 0.000), as the highest PUMP score was reported among the eldest age group (25 years or older), followed by the youngest (19 to 20 years). PUMP score was also significantly associated with neck pain (p = 0.000), right shoulder pain (p = 0.004), right elbow pain (p = 0.030), right wrist pain (p = 0.012), upper and lower back pain (p = 0.000, p = 0.000, respectively). Conclusion: The study found an association between problematic phone usage and discomfort in the neck, upper back, and lower back. The research also found that those with higher PUMP scores had more significant discomfort on their right elbow and wrist than on their left.