“PREVALENCE OF CERVICAL SPINE DEGENERATION BY EXCESSIVE USE OF MOBILE PHONE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY”

Abstract

Background:
Excessive mobile phone use has become an integral component of daily life, yet its musculoskeletalconsequencesparticularly on the cervical spineare increasingly concerned. Prolonged neck flexionwhile texting or browsing places abnormal biomechanical stress on cervical vertebrae, intervertebraldiscs, ligaments, and paraspinal muscles. Over time, these repetitive micro-traumas can acceleratedegenerative changes, includingdisc desiccation, osteophyte formation, facet joint arthropathy, andaltered cervical curvature. With the rising global burden of neck pain and digital device dependency,understanding the prevalence of cervical spine degeneration in high-risk users is essential for earlyprevention, clinical screening, and ergonomic interventions.
Objective:
To determine the prevalence of cervical spine degenerative changes associated with excessive mobilephone use and to evaluate the relationship between duration, posture habits, and severity ofradiological degeneration among adult smartphone users.
Methodology:
This cross-sectional study was conductedin Sughra Shafi MedcialComplex Narowal from January2024 to September 2024 over a period of nine monthsamong adult participants aged 18–55 years whowere regular mobile phone users. A structured questionnaire assessed demographic characteristics,daily duration of mobile phone use, habitual neck flexion angle, ergonomic awareness, and presenceof neck painor stiffness. Participants were categorized into three groups based on daily usage:

moderate use (<3 hours/day), high use (3–6 hours/day), and excessive use (>6 hours/day). Cervicalspine radiographs (lateral and AP views) were performed to evaluate degenerative parametersincluding disc space narrowing, osteophyte formation, loss of cervical lordosis, facet jointarthropathy, and alignment abnormalities. Degeneration severity was graded using a standardizedradiological scoring system. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests toassess associations between mobile phone use and radiographic findings.
Results:
A total of300 participantswere included, comprising135 males (45%)and165 females (55%), witha mean age of 32.4 ± 8.6 years. Excessive mobile phone use (>6 hours/day) was reported in41%ofthe study population. The overall prevalence of cervical spine degeneration was54%, with a markedlyhigher prevalence in the excessive-use group (72%) compared to the high-use (49%) and moderate-use (28%) groups (p < 0.01). Among males, 58% demonstrated radiological degeneration, while 51%of females showed degenerative changes; however, this difference was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). The most frequent radiological abnormalities wereloss ofcervical lordosis (46%),disc spacenarrowing (38%), andanterior osteophyte formation (21%). Neck pain was reported in63%ofindividuals with radiographic degeneration (p < 0.05). Prolonged daily usage and habitual neckflexion angles greater than 30 degrees showed a strong positive association with higher cervicaldegeneration scores.
Conclusion:
Excessive mobile phone use is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of cervical spinedegenerative changes. Radiological