Staring at smartphones for hours can lead to back pain

Adolescents who use smartphones for more than three hours a day suffer more from back pain The finding is from a longitudinal study conducted in Brazil. Analyzing data for high school students aged 13-18, it concluded that the problem affects girls more than boys and is associated with physical inactivity and low academic achievement The study focused on thoracic spine pain (TSP). The data analyzed came from surveys of 14- to 18-year-old male and female students in the first and second years of high school. Explosive growth in the use of electronic devices during the COVID-19 pandemic clearly made the problem worse. The risk factors associated with TSP are physical, physiological, psychological and behavioral, according to several investigations. There is also strong evidence of the effects of physical activity, sedentary habits and mental disorders on spinal health. All these factors are considered critical by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its latest global review of evidence and guidelines.