Association between smartphone addiction and neck disability among university students

Abstract

Smartphones have become an essential part of university students’ academic, social and recreational activities. Although these devices provide convenient access to educational resources and communication platforms, excessive and problematic smartphone use may contribute to musculoskeletal complaints, particularly neck pain and functional disability. Smartphone addiction is characterized by persistent and poorly controlled smartphone use, frequent checking behaviour, psychological dependence and difficulty reducing screen engagement despite negative consequences. These behaviours may increase the duration of sustained cervical flexion, static loading of the neck and repetitive upper-limb activity, potentially contributing to cervical discomfort and limitations in daily functioning. This article examines the association between smartphone addiction and neck disability among university students, with particular attention to behavioural dependence, smartphone-use patterns, cervical biomechanics, postural characteristics and functional consequences. Recent evidence indicates that smartphone overuse is associated with increased neck-pain risk, while university-based studies have reported relationships between smartphone addiction, cervical posture, neck pain and disability. The Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version (SAS-SV) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) provide practical tools for evaluating these constructs, although their interpretation should consider cultural validation, measurement limitations and relevant confounding variables. The proposed research framework recommends a cross-sectional assessment of smartphone addiction, daily smartphone-use duration, continuous-use periods, posture, physical activity, previous neck pain and neck-related functional limitations. An integrated physiotherapy approach incorporating digital-wellness education, ergonomic modification, cervical and scapular strengthening, movement breaks and behavioural self-management may help address potentially modifiable risk factors. Longitudinal and intervention-based research is required to establish temporal relationships and determine whether reducing problematic smartphone use produces meaningful improvements in neckrelated disability among university students.