Neck pain related to cellphone use among secondary-level students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22759995Keywords:
neck pain, cellphone, text neck syndrome, adolescentsAbstract
Introduction: Excessive cellphone use has been identified as a growing public health problem, associated with neck pain and so-called text neck, particularly in adolescents with high digital exposure. The aim was to determine the relationship between cellphone use time and neck pain among secondary-level students at Colegio Santa Rita de Casia, Capiatá, Paraguay, during 2025.
Materials and methods: Correlational, non-experimental quantitative study. Online self-administered questionnaire including the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). Convenience sampling; n = 100.
Results: Age 16–17 years 70%; male 52%, female 48%. Recreational use ≥3 h/day 62% (>5 h 25%). Neck problems in 12 months 37%; of these, 60% with impairment of normal activities. Problematic use: constantly checks social networks 49%; uses more time than intended 42%; considers self addicted 10%.
Conclusions: High-risk use patterns and a clinically significant prevalence of neck pain coexist, with an apparent disconnect between the habit and individual perception of its consequences, supporting ergonomic and educational interventions.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dahiana Edith Palmerola Ozuna, Felipe Miguel Oviedo Frutos (Autor/a)
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