Cho C-Y1, Tsao S-H1
1National Cheng Kung University, Physical Therapy, Tainan, Taiwan
Background: Nowadays one of the major changes in the exposure profiles of people is the use of information technology (IT), and the increasing number of devices available. The Institute for Information Industry in Taiwan estimates that the smartphone users increase to 82.3% at the year of 2017. Hence the smartphone technology with touchscreen devices is growing at high speed in Taiwan, and it may possibly affect users' health.
Due to differences in muscle strength, anthropometry, and hormones, females tend to have a higher rate of musculoskeletal symptoms than males. Women also have less opportunity to relax and exercise outside of work, which was exacerbated by parenthood. Therefore, females tend to have a higher incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms, which may be related to the repetitive characters of the job as well as no leisure time.
Mobile phone users may also show gender differences on their postures. Previous study found that male users tend to have a more protracted shoulder and female users have a more flexed elbow. However, due to different culture (English v.s. Chinese typing) and more advanced smartphone technology in recent years, those characteristics may be not commonly seen on the smartphone users in Taiwan.
Purpose: The purpose this study was to investigate the characteristics of the smartphone users' posture. Besides, gender differences of posture were compared.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in Tainan city. Investigators unobtrusively observe individuals who were using their smart phones. This age range includes most of those who are either studying in the university or in the workforce. A one page mobile device postural assessment tool (Gold, 2012) was revised and used according our pilot study. Chi-square analysis was used to determine significant differences between genders. A level of significance of p=0.05 was used for statistical comparison.
Results: Totally we collected 512 subjects, including 238 males and 274 females. A high percentage of flexed neck (81.2%), non-neutral elbow(71.9%), forearm(62.5%), and wrist postures (84%) were found. Women tend to have a higher percentage of flexed neck than men while they are using smartphones (p=0.031). A greater proportion of females than males were found to have non-neutral elbow, especially on the typing side (p=0.019). Moreover, their favorite typing styles were different. Males like to use both hand hold, both thumb typing strategy (33.6%), but females like to use left hand hold, right index typing (31.6%).
Conclusion(s): The results of the current study showed a high percentage of non-neutral postures for the smartphone users. Besides, females had a higher percentage of flexed neck and non-neutral elbow which may indicate they tend to demonstrate more extreme postures in these two regions.
Implications: When considering the musculoskeletal symptoms among smartphone users, not only we need to focus on their working postures, gender issue cannot be neglected.
Keywords: Musculoskeletal symptoms, smartphone posture, gender
Funding acknowledgements: We would like to express our appreciation to the grant support from the MOST grant in Taiwan
Due to differences in muscle strength, anthropometry, and hormones, females tend to have a higher rate of musculoskeletal symptoms than males. Women also have less opportunity to relax and exercise outside of work, which was exacerbated by parenthood. Therefore, females tend to have a higher incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms, which may be related to the repetitive characters of the job as well as no leisure time.
Mobile phone users may also show gender differences on their postures. Previous study found that male users tend to have a more protracted shoulder and female users have a more flexed elbow. However, due to different culture (English v.s. Chinese typing) and more advanced smartphone technology in recent years, those characteristics may be not commonly seen on the smartphone users in Taiwan.
Purpose: The purpose this study was to investigate the characteristics of the smartphone users' posture. Besides, gender differences of posture were compared.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in Tainan city. Investigators unobtrusively observe individuals who were using their smart phones. This age range includes most of those who are either studying in the university or in the workforce. A one page mobile device postural assessment tool (Gold, 2012) was revised and used according our pilot study. Chi-square analysis was used to determine significant differences between genders. A level of significance of p=0.05 was used for statistical comparison.
Results: Totally we collected 512 subjects, including 238 males and 274 females. A high percentage of flexed neck (81.2%), non-neutral elbow(71.9%), forearm(62.5%), and wrist postures (84%) were found. Women tend to have a higher percentage of flexed neck than men while they are using smartphones (p=0.031). A greater proportion of females than males were found to have non-neutral elbow, especially on the typing side (p=0.019). Moreover, their favorite typing styles were different. Males like to use both hand hold, both thumb typing strategy (33.6%), but females like to use left hand hold, right index typing (31.6%).
Conclusion(s): The results of the current study showed a high percentage of non-neutral postures for the smartphone users. Besides, females had a higher percentage of flexed neck and non-neutral elbow which may indicate they tend to demonstrate more extreme postures in these two regions.
Implications: When considering the musculoskeletal symptoms among smartphone users, not only we need to focus on their working postures, gender issue cannot be neglected.
Keywords: Musculoskeletal symptoms, smartphone posture, gender
Funding acknowledgements: We would like to express our appreciation to the grant support from the MOST grant in Taiwan
Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine; Occupational health & ergonomics
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: National Cheng Kung University Hospital
Ethics committee: National Cheng Kung University Hospital IRB
Ethics number: A-ER-103-051
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
