Your phone could be bending your neck toward nerve pain
NCT ID NCT07031310
First seen Sep 15, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers at Cairo University are investigating whether forward head posture, common in people who use smartphones for hours a day, is linked to cervical radiculopathy, a condition where neck nerves become irritated and cause pain or numbness in the arm. The study enrolls 120 adults aged 18 to 35 who use smartphones more than four hours daily and have a forward head posture. Participants undergo nerve function testing and measurements of neck angle, range of motion, pain, and disability to see how posture relates to nerve symptoms.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If a link is found, it could support posture screening and early physiotherapy for heavy smartphone users before nerve symptoms start.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, so it can show an association but cannot prove that posture causes nerve pain. Findings in young, healthy adults may not apply to older people or those with other neck conditions.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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120 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2025
- Finished
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Dec 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Participants will be recruited from students and employees of Nahda university (smart phone users) from both genders with age ranged between (18-35) years old.
- Ages
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18 to 35 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: \- 1. Adult subjects aged from 18-35 years old, with FHP using smart phone more than 4 hours per day. 2\. Subjects with FHP (craniovertebral angle) \[CVA\] \< 49° 3. Normal body mass index (BMI \<25). Exclusion Criteria: \- 1- Signs of serious pathology (e.g., malignancy, inflammatory disorders, infection). 2- History of cervical spine surgery. 3- History of trauma or fractures in cervical spine. 4- Vascular syndrome such as vertebrobasilar insufficiency.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Faculty of Physical Therapy, Nahda University.
Banī Suwayf, Egypt