NCT07627542Recruiting
An Investigation of the Effect of Smartphone Usage Levels on Cervical Posture, Tongue Pressure, Balance, and Neck Disability in Individuals With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 9 Jun 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The purpose of this cross-sectional and comparative study is to investigate the impact of smartphone addiction on the cervical posture, musculoskeletal system, balance, and tongue pressure in individuals diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), and to compare these findings with a healthy control group. Smartphone addiction has become a major contributing factor to postural alterations such as Text Neck Syndrome. This study aims to evaluate and compare the Craniovertebral Angle (CVA), neck extensor muscle strength, Pressure Pain Thresholds (PPT) of the neck and shoulder, Single-Leg Stance (SLS) static balance, and tongue pressure among three distinct groups. A healthy control group will be included as a reference baseline to differentiate the postural and functional deterioration caused by rheumatological diseases from the additional mechanical load imposed by smartphone dependency. To eliminate the misleading effects of acute pain, joint swelling, and severe functional limitations during flare-ups, only patients with stable disease activity (DAS28 \< 3.2 for RA and BASDAI \< 4 for AS) will be enrolled. This approach aims to examine the pure biomechanical relationship between technological dependency and cervical functions, independent of active systemic inflammation.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Observational
- Enrollment
- 111 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 31 May 2026
- Start date
- 9 Apr 2026
- Primary completion date
- Nov 2026
- Lead sponsor
- Merve Şahin
- NCT number
- NCT07627542
What you commit to
- Study type: Observational
- Planned participants: 111
- From 9 Apr 2026 to the primary completion date, Nov 2026
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- History of prior surgical intervention in the cervical region.
- Active use of muscle relaxants or advanced sedative medications.
Other illness
- Presence of neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson's disease, ALS).
- Severe visual or hearing impairment.
- Vestibular system disorders.
- Presence of acute neck trauma or malignancy.
Other
- Severe limitation in jaw opening.
- Lower extremity amputation or advanced arthritis that prevents performing the balance test.
Who the study is looking for
- Aged 18 to 65 years.
- Using a smartphone for at least 2 hours daily.
- Able to understand and follow postural commands during clinical measurements.
- For the Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Group: Diagnosed with RA by a rheumatologist, with a stable disease activity score (DAS28 \< 3.2).
- For the Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) Group: Diagnosed with AS by a rheumatologist, with a stable disease activity score (BASDAI \< 4).
Age in the registry: 18 years to 65 years · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Save your city in your profile to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Konya | Turkey (Türkiye) | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.