Recent findings suggest that teenagers spending over three hours a day in front of screens, in close proximity, and adopting poor postures such as sitting or lying on the stomach, are at higher risk of thoracic spine pain (TSP). This research observed a yearly TSP prevalence of 38.4% and an incidence of 10.1% among students aged 14 to 18. Such results underline the importance of addressing this issue as adolescents suffering from back pain tend to be less active, underperform academically, and experience more psychosocial problems.
The data analyzed in this study were collected from high school students aged 13 to 18, showing a link between this health issue, physical inactivity, and low academic performance. The study also found that girls were more affected than boys.
The rise in smartphone, tablet usage, video channels, computer games, and educational apps is causing children and teenagers to dedicate more time to screen-based activities, often in poor postures, which could lead to back pain and other health concerns.
The research, conducted in Brazil and funded by FAPESP, identified numerous risk factors affecting spinal health, which were published in the scientific journal Healthcare. These factors included prolonged screen time of over three hours a day, near screen proximity, and incorrect postures like sitting or lying on the stomach.
The focus of the study was thoracic spine pain (TSP), related to the back of the chest, primarily between the shoulder blades, extending from the bottom of the neck to the beginning of the lumbar spine. The data derived from surveys conducted among male and female students in their early high school years in Bauru, a city in São Paulo state.
The initial survey completed by 1,628 participants between March and June 2017, with a follow-up survey completed by 1,393 participants in 2018. The study found a one-year TSP prevalence of 38.4% and incidence of 10.1%, with girls reporting TSP more frequently than boys.
Risk Factors
TSP affects various age groups worldwide, with an adult prevalence rate of 15%-35% and 13%-35% among children and teenagers. The amplified usage of electronic devices during the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly exacerbated the problem. Multiple studies indicate that physical, physiological, psychological, and behavioral factors are linked to TSP. Strong evidence suggests that physical activity, sedentary habits, and mental disorders impact spinal health – factors deemed critical by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its most recent global evidence and guidelines review.
“This research can be utilized to inform health education programs for students, teachers, staff, and parents,” says Alberto de Vitta, the study’s lead author, who has a Ph.D. in education and has completed a postdoctoral fellowship in public health.
“This aligns with some objectives of the National Curriculum Parameters [PCN, Brazilian government guidelines for secondary schools] which state that schools are responsible for health education, identifying individual and collective health risks and interventions to address them, promoting self-care habits within the body’s capabilities and limits,” says Vitta, who currently teaches and researches at Eduvale College and the University of Sapucaí Valley’s Graduate Program in Education, Knowledge, and Society.
Information about TSP risk factors in high school students is crucial as children and adolescents with back pain are typically less active, achieve lower academic results, and experience more psychosocial problems, as per the article. In addition, fewer studies have been conducted on TSP than on lower back and neck pain. A literature review on TSP found only two prospective studies on prognostic factors.
The São Paulo Research Foundation funded the study. Other authors include Matias Noll from the Federal Institute of Goiás (IFG) and the Federal University of Goiás’s School of Physical Education and Dance (FEFD-UFG) in Brazil; Nicoly Machado Maciel of the University of São Paulo (USP); and Manuel Monfort-Pañego and Vicente Miñana-Signes of the University of Valencia in Spain.
Reference: “Thoracic Spine Pain in High School Adolescents: A One-Year Longitudinal Study” by Alberto De Vitta, Matias Noll, Manuel Monfort-Pañego, Vicente Miñana-Signes, and Nicoly Machado Maciel, 9 January 2023, Healthcare.
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11020196
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Teen Screen Time and Back Pain
