The Effect of Smartphone Addiction on Posture, Body Awareness, Physical Activity and Balance in University Students
The Effect of Smartphone Addiction on Posture, Body Awareness, Physical Activity and Balance in University Students
This descriptive cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the effects of smartphone addiction (SA) on posture, body awareness, balance, and physical activity among university students. With the rising popularity of smartphones in recent years, there has been increasing concern about their potential role in postural impairments and balance issues. The study population includes first- and second-year students from the Departments of Dental Services and Therapy-Rehabilitation at Fenerbahçe University School of Health Services.
Smartphone addiction will be assessed using the short form of the Smartphone Addiction Scale; posture will be evaluated using the New York Posture Rating Chart; body awareness will be measured using the Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ); balance will be assessed with the Becure Balance System; and physical activity levels will be determined using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF).
The study hypothesizes that SA significantly affects these physical and sensory parameters. Based on a power analysis using G*Power, a total sample size of 55 participants was determined. The findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the impact of digital device use on the physical health of young adults.
Over the past decade, smartphones have gained widespread popularity across the globe. A recent study indicated that the prevalence of smartphone addiction (SA) among university students is 26.7% in males and 27.9% in females. The primary distinction between smartphones and earlier mobile phones is that smartphones have full internet access and allow users to easily download any application via modern operating system platforms. Thus, smartphones are increasingly regarded as handheld computers rather than traditional phones Despite the convenience they offer, the pathological use of smartphones has emerged as a new public health concern.
Among the major physical problems associated with excessive internet use-one of the key components of smartphone addiction-are visual disturbances, negative effects of radiation, and postural and skeletal disorders. A study conducted in 2021 demonstrated that smartphone use can lead to significant postural alterations in both sagittal and frontal spinal parameters.
Body awareness refers to an individual's ability to recognize their own body and is a reflection of sensory awareness, encompassing physical, emotional, psychological, and social dimensions. Increasing levels of smartphone addiction have been associated with impaired postural proprioceptive feedback and reduced capacity to maintain proper posture.
Balance is defined as the control of the body's center of gravity and can be described as the dynamic regulation of body posture to prevent falls. No study to date has been found in the literature specifically examining the relationship between smartphone addiction and balance.
Given this context, the current study aims to investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on posture, body awareness, and balance among university students.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
- Having a neurological, orthopaedic or metabolic problem or disease that may affect balance, physical activity, posture or body awareness