Association of Regional Musculoskeletal Symptoms With Pain Intensity in Adults Reporting Prolonged Screen Use: A Cross-Sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61919/jhrr.v6i10.2053Keywords:
cross-sectional study; digital devices; musculoskeletal symptoms; Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire; pain intensity; screen time.Abstract
Background: Extended use of phones, computers, and other screen-based devices is common in education and employment. Musculoskeletal discomfort is frequently reported among users, although associations between regional symptoms and overall pain intensity require careful interpretation. Objective: To describe musculoskeletal symptoms and examine their association with usual pain intensity among adults reporting prolonged daily screen use. Methods: This cross-sectional survey included 334 adults aged 19–40 years from educational and occupational settings in Lahore, Pakistan. Participants were selected by convenience sampling under an eligibility criterion of more than approximately 5–6 hours of daily screen use. Regional musculoskeletal symptoms were assessed using a modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and usual pain intensity was assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (0–10). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were reported. Results: The mean age was 24.66 ± 5.065 years; 220 participants (65.9%) were female. In the preceding 12 months, symptoms were most frequent in the neck (61.7%), shoulder (46.7%), low back (42.5%), upper back (39.2%), wrists/hands (36.2%), and elbow (18.0%). Mean usual pain intensity was 3.31 ± 2.244. Weak positive correlations with pain intensity were reported for neck (r = 0.225, p < 0.001), shoulder (r = 0.124, p = 0.024), wrists/hands (r = 0.144, p = 0.009), upper back (r = 0.207, p < 0.001), and low back symptoms (r = 0.157, p = 0.004). The elbow correlation was not statistically significant (r = 0.079, p = 0.149). Conclusion: Neck symptoms were the most commonly reported musculoskeletal complaint in this sample of frequent screen users. Regional symptom variables showed weak correlations with usual pain intensity; these data do not establish an independent effect of screen duration or a causal relationship. Keywords: cross-sectional study; digital devices; musculoskeletal symptoms; Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire; pain intensity; screen time
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