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Effects of smartphone overuse on hand function, pinch strength, and the median nerve
Author(s) -
İNal Esra Erkol,
Demİrcİ kadİr,
Çetİntürk Azİze,
Akgönül Mehmet,
Savaş Serpİl
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.24695
Subject(s) - median nerve , thumb , medicine , smartphone addiction , visual analogue scale , physical medicine and rehabilitation , physical therapy , grip strength , surgery , addiction , psychiatry
In this study we investigated the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon and median nerve in smartphone users by ultrasonography to assess the effects of smartphone addiction on the clinical and functional status of the hands. Methods : One hundred two students were divided into 3 groups: non‐users, and high or low smartphone users. Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) scores and grip and pinch strengths were recorded. Pain in thumb movement and rest and hand function were evaluated on the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Duruöz Hand Index (DHI), respectively. The cross‐sectional areas (CSAs) of the median nerve and the FPL tendon were calculated bilaterally using ultrasonography. Results : Significantly higher median nerve CSAs were observed in the dominant hands of the high smartphone users than in the non‐dominant hands ( P < 0.001). SAS scores correlated with VAS pain for movement and rest, DHI scores, and pinch strength ( P < 0.05; r = 0.345, 0.272, 0.245, and 0.281, respectively). Conclusions : Smartphone overuse enlarges the median nerve, causes pain in the thumb, and decreases pinch strength and hand functions. Muscle Nerve , 2015 Muscle Nerve 52 : 183–188, 2015