To Study the Effect of Smartphone Multitasking on Dynamic Balance in Young Adults

Abstract

The objectives of this research was to see how using smartphone functions during gait affected dynamic
balance. From a university, a sample of 100 subjects was taken. Four types of gait tasks were given:
General Gait (to walk without any task); Task Gait 1 (to walk while chatting through text); Task Gait
2 (to walk while web surfing and hearing music) and Task Gait 3 (to walk while playing an online
multiplayer videogame). The conditions were the same for all the experiments. The subjects used
earphones for listening to music and having conversation during games. The sequence of tasks was
not done in systematic manner. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test was used to assess dynamic balance.
After three repetitions of the tasks, the mean of the measured values was analysed. In the TUG tests,
there were statistically significant unfavourable differences. Use of smartphone features during walking
affects dynamic balance of a person. As a result, when ambulating, using various features of a cell
phone may result in falls and injuries.