The effects of smartphone addiction on postural awareness and habits, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain and sleep quality

Altin Fatma Nur and Aziz Dengiz

Behaviour and Information Technology, 2025, vol. 44, issue 14, 3438-3445

Abstract: Smartphone addiction may cause postural problems pain, fatıgue and sleep disturbance. We aimed to asses postural problems (postural habits and awareness, ergonomic awareness, positional awareness and awareness of factors disrupt posture, positional awareness), pain, fatigue and sleep problems in two separate smartphone user groups, one ‘Addicted’, the other ‘Non-Addicted’according to smartphone addiction scale-short version. A sample of convenience (n = 329) was recruited from participants (age 20.73 ± 2.133, 17.2% male). Postural problems, fatigue, pain and sleep quality were assessed with the postural habits and awareness scale, Chedlar Fatigue assessment scale, and Visual analogue scale, respectively. There was a significant difference between the groups in favour of the non-addicted group in postural habits (p = 0.0001), ergonomic awareness (p = 0.002), and recognition of factors that disrupt posture scores (p = 0.0001). Mental and physical fatigue levels were significantly higher in the addicted group (p = 0.0001). Shoulder (p = 0.032), neck (p = 0.005), and back pain (p = 0.047) were more severe in the addicted group. Sleep quality scores were significantly worse in the addicted group (p = 0.0001). Smartphone addiction may lead to a decline in posture, ergonomic awareness, and awareness of factors that can disturb posture. It can also increase levels of mental and physical fatigue, worsen pain severity, and reduce sleep quality.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2025.2451197

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