As schools close for the summer holidays, doctors in the UAE are urging parents to monitor their children’s screen habits, warning that extended use of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming devices may be affecting posture, flexibility and long-term spinal health.
Medical specialists say they are seeing a growing number of children with posture-related complaints, including neck and shoulder pain, headaches, muscle stiffness and reduced mobility. While these symptoms may appear mild at first, experts warn they can develop into more serious musculoskeletal conditions if left untreated.
Research published in PubMed Central (PMC), which examined screen use, physical activity and body mass index among children aged four to 17 in the UAE, found that 37.7% of children spent more than seven hours each weekday using screens. The study also reported that children with the highest screen exposure were significantly less active, with 68.8% of those spending more than seven hours on screens taking part in no physical activity.
Dr Brigitta Hanna, Specialist Pediatrics at Aster Clinic, Aswaaq Mall, said long hours spent using phones and tablets are having a noticeable effect on children’s posture and flexibility.
“Nowadays we see many kids spend many hours on phones and tablets that definitely affect their posture and flexibility. Early signs of posture-related neck and back problems include persistent dull aches in the neck and shoulders with frequent tension headaches,” she said.
