Analysis of Correlation between Anthropometry of Hand and Smartphone Overuse on Musculoskeletal Pain in Thumb/Wrist in Medical Students: A Cross Sectional Study at Tertiary Care Center of Central India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34256/ijk2316Keywords:
Palm Length, Palm Breadth, Musculoskeletal pain, Smartphone addictionAbstract
Introduction: As mobile technology has evolved and is used extensively by most of the population, there is an increase in incidences of pain associated with the overuse of mobile phones. Pain associated with smartphone use is because of prolonged periods of time engaging with digital devices. The use of smartphones can cause various types of physical discomforts, such as neck pain, shoulder pain, and thumb pain, collectively referred to as “smartphone-related musculoskeletal disorders” (SRMDs). These medical issues arise mainly due to poor posture, repetitive movements, and prolonged use of smartphones without breaks. The impact of SRMDs on an individual’s daily life can be significant, resulting in decreased productivity, reduced quality of life, and increased healthcare costs. It is important for individuals to be aware of the risks associated with smartphone use and take steps to minimize their risk of developing SRMDs. Methods: The proposed study was an observational, questionnaire-based non-invasive study. The study was conducted in AIIMS Bhopal. The study was conducted on 130 adult males and 70 adult females. Personal and demographic details along with anthropometric measurements like Palm length, Palm breadth, and middle finger length were recorded. The level of smartphone addiction of individuals was also documented. Results: Correlations among palm length, palm breadth, length of the middle finger, smartphone size and shape, addiction level, and musculoskeletal pain were calculated. Conclusion: Present study proposes some important remedies which may minimize the musculoskeletal pain associated with the overuse of mobile phones.
References
AlAbdulwahab, S.S., Kachanathu, S.J., AlMotairi, M.S. (2017). Smartphone use addiction can cause neck disability, Musculoskeletal Care, 15(1): 10-12. https://doi.org/10.1002/msc.1170
Alhazmi, A.A., Alzahrani, S.H., Baig, M., Salawati, E.M., Alkatheri, A. (2018). Prevalence and factors associated with smartphone addiction among medical students at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 34: 984-988. https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.344.15294
Alshahrani, A., Samy, Abdrabo. M., Aly, S.M., Alshahrani, M.S., Alqhtani, R.S., Asiri, F., Ahmad, I. (2021). Effect of Smartphone Usage on Neck Muscle Endurance, Hand Grip and Pinch Strength among Healthy College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(12): 6290. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126290
Chamy, A.M., Marras, W.S., Burr, D.L. (2007). The effect of phone design on upper extremity discomfort and muscle fatigue, Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 49: 602–618. https://doi.org/10.1518/001872007X215683
Choi, J.S., Yi, B., Park, J.H, Choi, K., Jung, J., Park, S.W., Rhee, P.L. (2011). The uses of the smartphone for doctors: an empirical study from samsung medical center, Healthcare Informatics Research, 17(2), 131-138. https://doi.org/10.4258/hir.2011.17.2.131
Choi, Y.S. (2018). A study on the smartphone addiction and physical pain in the university students, BioMed Research, 29:3162-3168.
Demirci, K., Orhan, H., Demirdas, A., Akpinar, A., Sert, H., (2014). Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale in a younger population, Klinik Psikofarmakoloji Bülteni-Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 24(3): 226-234. https://doi.org/10.5455/bcp.20140710040824
Domenech, M.A., Sizer, P.S., Dedrick, G.S., McGalliard, M.K., Brismee, J.M. (2011). The deep neck flexor endurance test: normative data scores in healthy adults, PM&R, 3(2): 105-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmrj.2010.10.023
Elserty, N.S., Helmy, N.A., Mounir, K.M. (2018). Smartphone addiction and its relation to musculoskeletal pain in Egyptian physical therapy students, European Journal of Physiotherapy, 22(2): 70-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/21679169.2018.1546337
Jonsson, P., Johnson, P.W., Hagberg, M., Forsman, M. (2011). Thumb joint movement and muscular activity during mobile phone texting - A methodological study, Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 21(2): 363-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2010.10.007
Kahraman, T., Genc, A., Goz, E. (2016). The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire: cross-cultural adaptation into Turkish assessing its psychometric properties, Disability and Rehabilitation, 38(21): 2153-2160. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2015.1114034
Kamel, D.M., Hakeem, C.A., Tantawy, S.A. (2020). Influence of hand and smartphone anthropometric measurements on hand pain and discomfort: A cross-sectional study, Medicine, 99(11):e19513. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000019513
Karki, S., Singh, J.P., Paudel, G., Khatiwada, S., Timilsina, S. (2020).How addicted are newly admitted undergraduate medical students to smartphones?: a cross-sectional study from Chitwan medical college, Nepal, BMC Psychiatry, 20(1): 95. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02507-1
Kim, H.J., Kim, J.S. (2015). The relationship between smartphone use and subjective musculoskeletal symptoms and university students, Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 27(3): 575-579. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.27.575
Kwon, M., Kim, D.J., Cho, H., Yang, S. (2013).The smartphone addiction scale: development and validation of a short version for adolescents, PLoS One, 8(12): e83558. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083558
Kwon, M., Lee, J.Y., Won, W.Y., Park, J.W., Min, J.A., Hahn, C., Gu, X., Choi, J.H., Kim, D.J. (2013). Development and validation of a smartphone addiction scale (SAS), PLoS One, 8 (2): e56936. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0056936
Namwongsa, S., Puntumetakul, R., Neubert, M.S., Boucaut, R. (2018). Factors associated with neck disorders among university student smartphone users, Work, 61(3): 367-378. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-182819
Neupane, S., Ali, U.T.I., Mathew, A. (2017). Text neck syndrome-systematic review, Imperial Journal of interdisciplinary research, 3: 141–148.
Ning, X., Huang, Y., Hu, B., Nimbarte, A.D. (2015). Neck kinematics and muscle activity during mobile device operations, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 48: 10-15. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-182819
Shan, Z., Deng, G., Li, J., Li, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhao, Q. (2013). Correlational analysis of neck/shoulder pain and low back pain with the use of digital products, physical activity, and psychological status among adolescents in Shanghai, PLoS One, 8(10): e78109. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0078109
Shim, J. (2012). The effect of carpal tunnel changes on smartphone users, Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 24: 1251-1253. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.24.1251
Tonga, E., Ozgül, B., Timurtas, E., Can, M., Hasırcı, Y., Polat, M.G. (2017). Evaluation of musculoskeletal complaints associated with smartphone use among university students and related risk factors, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 76(2): 1504. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-eular.6607
Walankar, P.P., Kemkar, M., Govekar, A., Dhanwada, A. (2021). Musculoskeletal Pain and Risk Factors Associated with Smartphone Use in University Students, Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 25(4): 220-224. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijoem.ijoem_351_20
Yang, S.Y., Chen, M.D., Huang, Y.C., Lin, C.H., Chang, J.H. (2016). Association between smartphone use and musculoskeletal discomfort in adolescent students, Journal of Community Health, 42: 423–430. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-016-0271-x
Young, K.S. (1998). Internet addiction: the emergence of a new clinical disorder, CyberPsychology & Behavior, 1(3): 237-244. https://doi.org/10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Kusum Gandhi, Sukumar M, Deepanshu Mahaver, Ashwini Shandilya, Om Lata Bhagat

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Articles published in the International Journal of Kinanthropometry are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided appropriate credit is given to the original authors and the source.