Association of smartphone overuse and neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Postgraduate medical journal Vol. 101; no. 1197; pp. 620 - 626
• Main Authors: Chen, Yan-Jyun, Hu, Ching-Yuan, Wu, Wen-Tien, Lee, Ru-Ping, Peng, Cheng-Huan, Yao, Ting-Kuo, Chang, Chia-Ming, Chen, Hao-Wen, Yeh, Kuang-Ting
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.07.2025
• Subjects: Humans; Meta-analysis; Musculoskeletal diseases; Neck pain; Neck Pain - epidemiology; Neck Pain - etiology; Neck Pain - psychology; Public health; Smartphone - statistics & numerical data; Smartphones; Systematic review; meta-analysis; neck pain; musculoskeletal disorder; systematic review; smartphone overuse
• ISSN: 0032-5473; 1469-0756; 1469-0756
• DOI: 10.1093/postmj/qgae200

Smartphone overuse is associated with both psychological and physical health problems, including depression and musculoskeletal disorders. However, the association between smartphone overuse and neck pain remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis to examine the relation between smartphone overuse and neck pain, and to identify high-risk usage patterns. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched for relevant studies published up to 16 August 2023, using keywords including "smartphone" and "neck pain". Prospective, retrospective, and case-controlled studies assessing the correlation between smartphone overuse and neck pain were eligible. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Meta-regression and sensitivity analysis using the leave-one-out approach were performed to test the robustness of the results (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024599227). Seven retrospective studies including 10 715 participants were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The mean age of the participants ranged from 19.9 to 42.9 years. The meta-analysis revealed that compared to participants without smartphone overuse, those who overused a smartphone had a significantly higher risk of neck pain (pooled adjusted odds ratio = 2.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.44-3.82). These results indicate a significant association between smartphone overuse and increased risk of neck pain. Our findings underscore the necessity of addressing smartphone overuse as a health concern, especially considering its growing prevalence in modern society.