Artigo Acesso aberto Revisado por pares

The short-term effect of smartphone usage on the upper-back postures of university students

2019; Cogent OA; Volume: 6; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/23311916.2019.1627752

ISSN

2331-1916

Autores

Maria Elizabeth Cochrane, Muziwakhe Daniel Tshabalala, Nkateko Climax Hlatswayo, Rosina Mahlatse Modipana, Pertunia Phuti Makibelo, Exaggerate Potego Mashale, Lerato Caroline Pete,

Tópico(s)

Occupational health in dentistry

Resumo

The purpose of the current study was to determine the short-term effects of smartphone usage on the upper-back postures of university students. Sixty-three students completed a self-administered questionnaire and photographic postural analysis. Smartphone usage significantly affected shoulder protraction on the non-dominant side (p = 0.000); thoracic kyphosis (p = 0.000); lateral neck flexion (p = 0.029 left and p = 0.001 right) and pelvic obliquity (p = 0.000 left and right). The results indicate that smartphones negatively affect the postures of university students and may result in severe long-term clinical implications such as chronic neck-, thoracic- and low back pain, headaches and decreased concentration.

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