Morphologic changes of the fifth phalange secondary to smartphone use

• Published in: Work (Reading, Mass.) Vol. 65; no. 2; pp. 429 - 433
• Main Authors: Fuentes-Ramírez, L.D., Alfaro-Gomez, U., Espinosa-Uribe, A.G., Teran-Garza, R., Quiroga-Garza, A., Gutiérrez-de la O, J., Vilchez Cavazos, F., Guzman-Lopez, S., Elizondo-Omaña, R.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.01.2020; IOS Press BV
• Subjects: Asymmetry; Cellular telephones; Fingers; Morphology; Smartphones; Time of use; Young adults; cellphone; morphology; Anatomy; ergonomics; hand
• ISSN: 1051-9815; 1875-9270
• DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203095

BACKGROUND: The use of smart phones is now part of the daily routine throughout the world. Morphological alterations have been described associated with telephone holding technique, as well as clinically significant alterations related to their use. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the macroscopic morphological changes due to smartphone use in the fifth finger of the hand with which the smartphone is commonly used. METHODS: University students were invited to participate. Photographs of the dorsal region of both hands were taken using a millimeter paper as background. After calibrating the ImageJ software, photographs were analyzed in pairs obtaining areas of asymmetry. Sociodemographic information and technique of use was collected through a survey. The data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 20. RESULTS: A total of 143 participants were included. The mean age was 20 years. No significant differences were found between the area of asymmetry and the miniferet of both fingers of the subjects compared with age, gender, BMI, daily time of use, years using a smartphone or the type of holding technique. CONCLUSIONS: No asymmetric changes were evident between left and right small fingers in relation to the holding technique of a smartphone in a young adult population.