A cross-sectional analysis of demographic factors and neck pain and disability among mobile gamers of selected colleges in Metro Cebu during the COVID-19 pandemic.

   This study aimed to make a cross-sectional analysis of the demographic factors and the level of neck pain and disability among mobile gamers of selected colleges in Metro Cebu during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was done to mitigate the current lack of established literature regarding the present concept of these variables existing among the selected respondents.The specific demographic factors studied were sex, age, gamer classification, and position while playing in order to identify which of these factors presented with the most incidence among the 320 respondents. To subjectively measure the level of neck pain and level of disability, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale by Freyd and Neck Disability Index by Dr. Vernon Howard were utilized respectively.

   In summarizing the distribution of all demographic factors, the results were as follows; for sex, 249 (77.8%) females and 71 (22.2%) males. For age, 162 (50.7%) of the respondents were in the 19-20 years old category. In terms of position while playing, the majority preferred to sit while playing 195 (60.9%) and almost all of them were identified as casual gamers 295 (92.2%). The majority of the respondents have a mild level of neck pain 240 (75.0%) followed by 63 (19.7%) moderate level of neck pain and 13 (4.1%) had severe neck pain while 4 (1.3%) had no neck pain at all. Data of neck pain was tabulated for each demographic factor, a larger proportion of males experienced mild neck pain compared to females (83.1% vs. 72.7%) while more females had a moderate level of neck pain than males (22.1% vs. 11.3%). Furthermore, there are only slight differences in the proportions of the respondents' level of neck pain across the age and body position while playing. Results for the classification of mobile gamers yielded a higher proportion of hardcore gamers experienced moderate neck pain than casual gamers (24.0% vs. 19.3%). Level of disability, the highest proportion were found to have no neck disability 115 (35.9%), followed by moderate neck disability (104, 32.5%), mild neck disability 97 (30.3%) and only 4 (1.3%) have severe disability while none had complete disability. With respect to demographic factors and neck disability, it was evident that sex distribution revealed a higher proportion of females have mild (31.7%) and moderate disability (35.3%) while more than half of the male gamers have no disability at all (52.1%). As for age, the proportion of those with moderate disability increases as age increases. In terms of position, a larger proportion of gamers who lie down (41.2%) and lie on their sides (40.0%) experience moderate disability while (44.4%) of the gamers who lie on their bellies experience no neck disability. As to gamer classification, more casual gamers experience mild (30.5%) and moderate (32.9%) neck disability. However, more hardcore gamers experience no neck disability compared to casual gamers (40.0% vs. 35.6%). 

   This study concluded that most of the neck pain perceived among mobile gamers, were mild across the demographic factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of their level of disability, the majority of the mobile gamers reported no neck disability. The researchers recommended a development and implementation of an Ergonomic and Neck Pain Awareness Program in relation to Mobile Gaming coupled with a few exercises in the interest of maintaining neck health. This study may benefit future researchers in correlating neck disability to other predominant musculoskeletal related issues arising from engaging in mobile games within the population of college students.