Internet Usage Profile of Medical Students and Effects of Internet Addiction on Sagittal Balance

Abstract

ObjectiveThe risk of internet addiction increases as the time of internet usage increases. Long-term internet usage may effect the posture of the person. This may causethe change of the gravity center and may effect the segmental degeneration. In this study, it is aimed topoint out the effect of internet usage on posture in young population.Material and MethodsIn Suleyman Demirel University, 168 medical students had internet addiction scale. The scores ≥81 accepted as internet addicted. Equal number of adolescentswho got the diagnosis of internet addicted and not had cervical/lumbar x-ray graphics. Sagittal alignments were evaluated by using Cobb’s method. Probable internet addicted descriptive analysis, TwoStep Cluster Analysis, ANOVA, Independent Samples t-Test, Product-Moment Correlation, Mann-Whitney U analysis were used.ResultsNine(5,4%) students were internet addicted. There was a significant difference between internet usage habits and internet addiction scores, but the highestdifference was found between “intermittent+long time usage” and “total usage in once”. There was only a negative(r = -.341) and significant relation(p= .021)between internet addiction and lumbar Cobb angle. As the score of internet usage increases, value of lumbar Cobb angle decreases. Only lumbar Cobb angle values were significantly different(p= .030) for devices used for internet access. According to the Rank values, students’ lumbar Cobb angle using laptop as internet access device(13,07) were lower than the students’ using cell phone or pads(21,07).ConclusionBeing in the same and unsuited anatomical position while using internet for a long time may cause changes in the sagittal alignment. Loadings and stresses on spinal structures influence the spinal morphology and cause the occurrence of disc degeneration.