This study investigates the association between smartphone use, smartphone addiction, and musculoskeletal symptoms in university students. A total of 228 students (74 males and 154 females, average age 29.41 years) participated. Participants completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics, smartphone use time, smartphone addiction (measured using the SAS-SV scale), musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limb, and neck disability (measured using the NDI). Results showed that individuals with neck disability were associated with gender, general health, presence of neck and shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Higher smartphone use time was linked to certain sociodemographic characteristics, shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction was associated with lower age, higher educational level, neck disability, and smartphone use time in students. The study found that smartphone addiction is linked to neck disability and musculoskeletal symptoms. It also found that smartphone use time is associated with age, marital status, educational level, general health, shoulder symptoms, and smartphone addiction. The study highlights the need for further research to understand the relationship between smartphone use, addiction, and musculoskeletal symptoms in different age groups and populations. Clinicians should consider smartphone addiction when assessing patients with neck disability and monitor smartphone use to identify potential addicts. However, the study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causality. Future longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the relationship between smartphone use, addiction, and musculoskeletal symptoms.This study investigates the association between smartphone use, smartphone addiction, and musculoskeletal symptoms in university students. A total of 228 students (74 males and 154 females, average age 29.41 years) participated. Participants completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics, smartphone use time, smartphone addiction (measured using the SAS-SV scale), musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limb, and neck disability (measured using the NDI). Results showed that individuals with neck disability were associated with gender, general health, presence of neck and shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Higher smartphone use time was linked to certain sociodemographic characteristics, shoulder pain, and smartphone addiction. Smartphone addiction was associated with lower age, higher educational level, neck disability, and smartphone use time in students. The study found that smartphone addiction is linked to neck disability and musculoskeletal symptoms. It also found that smartphone use time is associated with age, marital status, educational level, general health, shoulder symptoms, and smartphone addiction. The study highlights the need for further research to understand the relationship between smartphone use, addiction, and musculoskeletal symptoms in different age groups and populations. Clinicians should consider smartphone addiction when assessing patients with neck disability and monitor smartphone use to identify potential addicts. However, the study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causality. Future longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the relationship between smartphone use, addiction, and musculoskeletal symptoms.