Effect of extensive use of smart phones on the functions of the upper extremity / Sara Abdelwahab Fetoh ; Supervised Mohamed Hussein Elgendy , Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim , Rania Nagy Karkousha

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Basic Science

Background:Extensive use of smart phones can be associated with physical health related problems. Purpose of the study: was to investigate the effect of smart phones extensive use on the functions of the upper extremity, median and ulnar conduction velocity and hand grip strength. Methods: one hundred normal subjects with their age ranging from 18 to 25 years were divided into two equal groups. Group A represented the extensive smart phone users for minimum 3-6 hours per day while Group B represented the non-extensive smart phone users for less than 2 hours per day. Electromyography was used for measuring conduction velocities of the median and ulnar nerves, hand dynamometer was used to measure hand grip strength and disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand scale was used for assessment of upper extremity function. Results: The resultsshowed that there were no statistical significant differences regarding hand grip strength (p=0.999) and disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand scale (p=0.980) between both groups , while there were statistical significant decrease in conduction velocity of ulnar nerve at forearm level (p=0.0001) and prolonged motor and sensory distal latencies of median nerve at wrist level (p=0.0001) in groupA

Issued also as CD