How Smartphone Habits Affect Neck Posture and Pain in Health Science Students

Background: The widespread use of smartphones, especially among students, has led to growing concerns about its impact on posture and musculoskeletal health. Prolonged use often results in forward head posture (FHP), which may contribute to neck pain and disability. Objective: To investigate the association between smartphone addiction, forward neck posture, and neck disability among health science students. Methodology: A total of 100 health science students who met the inclusion criteria participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Smartphone Addiction Scale – Short Version (SAS-SV) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaire to assess addiction levels and neck disability. Photographic analysis was used to measure the craniovertebral angle for evaluating FHP via the photogrammetric method. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test to determine the differences between addicted and non-addicted groups. Results: There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between addicted and non-addicted students in terms of smartphone usage duration, FHP, and neck disability. However, within the addicted group, no significant association was found between the degree of addiction and hours of usage, FHP, or ODI scores. Conclusion: Smartphone addiction is associated with an increased risk of developing forward head posture and neck disability. Although addiction itself may not directly correlate with usage hours or postural changes, reducing screen time could be a preventive strategy to mitigate musculoskeletal issues among health science students.