ABSTRACT

Background: Scapular dyskinesis (SD) has been reported in up to 60 % of healthy adults and is exacerbated by postural habits linked to extensive smartphone use. Aim: To compare static scapular position between smartphone-addicted undergraduate physiotherapy students and age-matched non-addicted peers. Methods: Eighty participants (mean 21.3 ± 2.0 years) were screened with the Smartphone Addiction Scale–Short Version. Forty addicts (Group A, score ? 31) and forty controls (Group B, < 31) underwent Kibler’s Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST) in three arm postures (0°, 45°, 90°). Mean bilateral distances from the inferior scapular angle to corresponding thoracic spinous processes were recorded; an asymmetry ? 1.5 cm indicated dyskinesis. Between-group comparisons employed unpaired t-tests (? = 0.05). Results: Significant differences were confined to the 90° posture (right: 10.55 ± 1.96 cm vs 9.40 ± 1.07 cm, p = 0.027; left: 10.70 ± 1.51 cm vs 9.75 ± 1.06 cm, p = 0.012). No differences emerged at 0° or 45°. Conclusion: Smartphone addiction is associated with scapular mal-alignment during functional arm elevation, highlighting the need for early ergonomic and exercise interventions in young adults. Keywords: scapula, dyskinesia, smart phone addiction, lateral scapular slide test, scapular position
Publication date: 01/06/2026

https://www.ijbpas.com/pdf/2026/June/MS_IJBPAS_2026_10265.pdf

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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2026/15.6.10265