Neck pain and text neck using Hill's criteria of causation: A scoping review

BACKGROUND: Technological advances make mobile devices (smartphones, tablets) increasingly part of individuals' routines. The most diverse functionalities can prolong the use of these devices for hours, which instigates discussions about possible musculoskeletal consequences and their association with neck pain. AIM: To describe the current state of concepts involving text neck and neck pain using Hill's criteria of causation. METHODS: Scoping review of the literature conducted in the EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, The Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases. Articles published until August/2023 were analyzed based on the title and abstract and subsequently by general content. Then, causality verification applying Hill's criteria was carried out by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: 21 articles were included. The majority of studies (90%) had an observational design, with the total sample having a mean age of 24 ± 6,32 years. None of Hill's criteria of causation were met by any of the selected articles, with no causal association being evident. CONCLUSION: The causal association between text neck and neck pain is not supported by current literature based on the evaluation of Hill's criteria, widely used in epidemiology to establish causal links.