CORRELATION BETWEEN POSTURE DEVIATION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND COGNITION IN SMART PHONE ADDICTED CHILDREN IN EGYPT

Abstract

Background: Smartphones now form a key element in children's daily routines, driven by advances in mobile internet capabilities. However, most smartphone content is designed for adults, exposing children to adult-oriented information without adequate protection, which may influence their socialization. In addition, long-term smartphone use can negatively affect children's physical and cognitive development by reducing physical activity and contributing to posture disorders.

 Purpose: to evaluate the correlation between posture deviations, physical activity and cognition in smart phone addicted children in Egypt.

Methods: Participants totaled 60 individuals aged 8–18 years, showing body mass index (BMI) from 18.5 to 23.9 Kg/m² alongside Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version scores at or above 24. Each completed the addiction scale, postural software analysis, the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and Adolescents (PAQ-A) and Raven’s Progressive Matrices test (RPM)for the assessment of intelligence.

Results: The correlation analysis revealed varying relationships between postural parameters and the study scales. Several variables showed large correlations with Raven’s Progressive Matrices (RPM) and the Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ) across anterior, posterior, and lateral views, particularly head, trunk, and ankle angles. Some variables showed moderate or small correlations, while others were not statistically significant.

Conclusion: There was a strong direct correlation between using smartphone and posture deviation. However, there was a strong inverse correlation between using of smartphone and physical activity and between using of smartphone and cognition in smart phone addicted children in Egypt.