• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.278-285
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• 2020

Background: Individuals with forward head posture (FHP) have neck pain. To correct the FHP, a posture correction band is commonly used. However, we do not know the posture correction band influenced the pulmonary function in individuals with FHP. Objects: This study aimed to elucidate the effects of the posture correction band on the pulmonary function in young adults with neck pain and FHP and to monitor how the pulmonary function changed over time. Methods: Twenty subjects with chronic neck pain and forward head posture were recruited. Subjects performed pulmonary function test four times: before, immediately, and 2 hours after wearing the postural band, and immediately after undressing the postural band. Vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) were measured. The modified Borg dyspnea scale was used to measure each subject's responses to the posture correction band. The mixed-effect linear regression was used to the effect of the posture correction band over time. Results: There were no significant differences in VC, FVC, PEF, FEV1 values over time (p > 0.05), although all values slightly decreased after applying posture correction band. However, the score of the modified Borg scale significantly changed after wearing the postural bands (p < 0.05), indicating the subject felt discomfort with posture correction band during breathing. Conclusion: Because the posture correction band did not change the pulmonary function over time, but it induces psychological discomforts during breathing in people with FHP. Therefore, this posture correction band can be used for FHP realignment after discussion with the subjects.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1960-1968
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• 2020

Background: The alignment of the neck and shoulder is important in people with forward head posture. However, previous studies have mainly conducted fragmentary studies on the neck and shoulders, and studies on the combined movement of the neck and shoulders are incomplete. Objective: To investigate the effects of 6 week dynamic exercise program using Thera-band on craniovertebral angle (CVA) in adults with forward head posture. Design: Quasi-experimental study. Methods: The study was conducted on 24 adults with forward head posture and experimented with neck and shoulder exercises and divided them into groups of neck exercises, shoulder exercises, and neck and shoulder exercises to measure CVA values before and after the experiment. The neck exercise program included flexion and extension muscles of the neck and shoulder exercises included dynamic exercise of the upper extremities such as the trapezius muscles and serratus anterior muscle. The CVA results were measured using PA200. Results: Following the interventions, neck exercise group showed significant improvement in CVA (P<.05), but shoulder exercise group and combined exercise group did not show any significant results (P>.05). However, both groups showed some positive results. Significant differences were seen in the comparisons between the three groups (P<.05), and the results of the post-hoc test showed significant differences in neck exercise group and shoulder exercise, neck exercise and combine exercise group. Conclusion: This study suggested that the Thera-band neck exercise is beneficial for foward head posture patients and is expected to be used in clinical trials.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2018

This study was designed to provide basic data for developing exercise program that helps correcting posture by knowing the effect of strengthening and elongation exercises of upper extremity muscle to forward head posture correction. In this study determined subjects whether they had forward head posture or not. On the basis of the New York state posture rating, if a subject's posture is match up with the normal standard posture, gives 5 points and if the posture is slightly get out of the normal standard posture, gives 3 points and if the posture is apparently get out of the standard, gives 1 points. When determining the forward head posture, if talus, humerus and outer ear center are on the same line, it is determined as normal and if outer ear center is off the line less than 1.0cm, it is a slight deformation and if outer ear center is off the line more than 1.0cm, it is a high deformation. In the study selected people who have more than 1 cm gap between two vertical lines start from outer ear center and acromion separately as subjects. Length between the ideal alignment line measured by using goniometer and temporal region showed statistically significant decrease as $2.36{\pm}1.07cm$ before the intervention and $1.06{\pm}0.88cm$ after the intervention. After 4 weeks of neck and chest extensor muscle exercise, the group who exercised both showed increase in range of neck joint motion and neck flexion of the forward head posture. Meanwhile the group who only exercised neck extensor muscle only and the group who only exercised chest extensor muscle didn't showed statistically significant result. That only the group who exercised both muscles showed significant result is the different with studies before. Because this study didn't target patient who had a lesion, couldn't compare effect of the conservative manner and exercise. However, this study provides the fact that the group who exercised both neck and chest muscle had more effect than the control group.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.242-252
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• 2023

Background: Neck pain is a common problem in the general population and second only to low back pain in musculoskeletal problems. The aim of this study is to compare three different types of exercise training in patients with chronic neck pain. Methods: This study was conducted on 45 patients with neck pain. Patients were divided into 3 groups: Group 1 (conventional treatment), Group 2 (conventional treatment plus deep cervical flexor training), and Group 3 (conventional treatment plus stabilization of the neck and core region). The exercise programs were applied for four weeks, three days a week. The demographic data, pain intensity (verbal numeric pain scale), posture (Reedco's posture scale), cervical range of motion ([ROM] goniometer), and disability (Neck Disability Index [NDI]) were evaluated. Results: In all groups, a significant improvement was found in terms of pain, posture, ROM, and NDI values in all groups (P < 0.001). Between the groups, analyses showed that the pain and posture improved more in Group 3, while the ROM and NDI improved more in Group 2. Conclusions: In addition to conventional treatment, applying core stabilization exercises or deep cervical flexor muscle training to patients with neck pain may be more effective in reducing pain and disability and increasing ROM than conventional treatment alone.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.425-432
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• 2014

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate that the differences in sternocleidomastoid muscle activity, neck rotation angle, neck lateral bending angle and neck lateral bending onset time between conditions with and without visual biofeedback during neck rotation. METHODS: Ten male and four female adults with condition of forward head posture were recruited in this study. Subjects conducted to left and right maximal neck rotation under the conditions with and without visual biofeedback. During neck rotation, kinematic data of neck rotation, neck lateral bending movement, and electromyography activities of bilateral sternocleidomastold muscles were collected. Differences in dependent variables between conditions with and without visual biofeedback were analyzed using paired t-test. RESULTS: There were significant decreases in lateral bending angle, while lateral bending movement onset time was delayed significantly when applying visual biofeedback (p<.05). However, there were no significant differences in the activation of left and right sternocleidomastoid muscles and neck rotation angle between conditions with and without visual biofeedback (p>.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that visual biofeedback may be effective for axial rotation of cervical spine during neck rotation in adults with forward head posture.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2016

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of exercise on the neck muscles activities between scapular stability and McKenzie stretch exercise in the forward head posture subjects. Method : After measuring cervical alignment using the Global Posture System, 20 volunteers with forward head posture posture were selected and divided into two groups. The experimental group A(n=15) and Experimental group B(n=15) participated in respectively and McKenzie neck stretching exercise, three times per week for 4 weeks. The scapular stabilization exercise program was comprised middle and lower trapezius strength exercises and the stretching exercise program was comprised levator scapulae and upper trapezius stretching exercise. The activities of the muscles of the posterior neck was then measured using electromyography. Result : After the intervention, there was significant difference of a electromyography activity changes between the pre-test and post-test in the experimental group. Conclusion : This study showed that both scapular stabilization and McKenzie neck stretching exercises are more effective for reducing neck muscles activities.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.71-81
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• 2024

Purpose : In this study, we compared the effects of ankle, McKenzie, and cervical stabilization exercises in individuals with a forward head posture. Outcome measures investigated included the neck disability index, craniovertebral angle (CVA), cranial rotation angle (CRA), and thickness of the longus colli muscle (LC) and carotid artery (CA) post-intervention. Methods : The study included 20 individuals with a forward head posture, who were assigned to an experimental group (EG, individuals performed ankle exercises) or control group (CG, individuals performed McKenzie and cervical stabilization exercises). The EG intervention was specifically designed to enhance proprioception in the ankle joint and strengthen the ankle muscles to improve overall stability and function. In contrast, CG interventions aimed to improve neck muscle balance and cervical spine alignment. Paired t-tests were used to analyze intragroup changes and independent t-tests to determine intergroup differences pre-and post-intervention. The significance level for all statistical tests was set at α=.05. Results : We observed significant post-intervention improvements in both groups, specifically, in the CVA, CRA, and LC and CA thickness (p<.05). These results indicate that ankle, McKenzie, and cervical stabilization exercises were useful for neck posture correction, improved muscle balance, and enhanced blood flow to the neck. Conclusion : This study underscores the positive effects of ankle, McKenzie, and cervical stabilization exercises in individuals with a forward head posture. Our study highlights the benefits of these exercises for posture correction and overall neck health and the clinical effectiveness and usefulness of ankle exercises as an important intervention to improve forward head posture.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1-16
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• 2022

Background: This study was conducted to examine the correlation of VDT, posture and shoulder function among each group divided by according to the neck pain disorder index (NDI) scores for female patients with neck pain. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fifty adult women with neck pain voluntarily participated in this study and the neck pain disorder index questionnaire, VDT syndrome assessment tool questionnaire, craniovertebral angle, thoracic kyphosis angle, round shoulder posture, pectoralis minor length, shoulder joint hypermobility, and serratus anterior strength tests were conducted respectively. Subjects were divided into two groups where 21 subjects were allocated to the mild pain group whom have rated below 14 points on the NDI scores, and 29 subjects were in the severe pain group, whom have rated above 15 on the NDI score. Results: The study found that in the mean difference between variables in each group, VDT syndrome showed a higher mean score in the severe pain group than the mild pain group (p<0.05). In the group correlation and regression analysis, the mild pain group showed a significant negative correlation between the craniovertebral angle and round shoulder posture (r=-0.467, p<0.05), and the round shoulder posture for craniovertebral angle was shown to have significant positive influence (B=10.162, p<0.05). The severe pain group showed that the NDI and the VDT syndrome had a significant amount of correlation (r=0.520, p<0.01), the VDT syndrome showed significant positive influence (B=0.330, p<0.05), and the craniovertebral angle showed significant negative influence (B=-0.809, p<0.05). It was also shown that shoulder joint hypermobility had a significant negative correlation with the serratus anterior strength (r=-0.437, p<0.01), and that serratus anterior strength had a significant negative influence on shoulder joint hypermobility (B=-4.175, p<0.05). Conclusion: This study is of clinical significance in that it presented variables that should be considered depending on the degree of neck pain in treating patients with neck pain and that it presented patients with not only posture but also the function of the shoulder joint as factors to consider.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.343-353
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• 2024

Objective: Long-term imbalances in the muscles around the neck could the functional resting length of the muscles, resulting in a chronic forward head posture. This study aimed to assess the effects of combining posture correction exercises with extracorporeal shockwave therapy on muscle activity, neck function and pain in adults with forward head posture. Design: Pretest-posttest two groups design. Methods: A total of 22 adults, diagnosed with forward head posture, participated in the study. Random assignment allocated 11 participants to the posture correction exercise (PCE) group, while the other 11 were assigned to the posture correction exercise group combined with extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT). In the combined group, ESWT was administered twice a week for four weeks, delivering 1,000 impulses in a radial pattern to the levator scapulae and upper trapezius muscles. The PCE group performed a exercise program for approximately 30 minutes, three times a week, over the same four-week period. The PCE focused on strengthening weakened muscles and stretching of shortened muscles. Results: Both the PCE group and the combined group with ESWT exhibited a significant increase in lower trapezius muscle activity within groups (p<0.05). Moreover, the craniovertebral angle and neck disability index showed significant improvements in both groups (p<0.05). While the pressure pain thresholds tended to increase only in the combined group, the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Conclusions: This suggests that both the PCE program and the combination with ESWT can be effective in enhancing posture and reducing pain in individuals with forward head posture.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.16-23
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• 2018

Postural instability can increase the likelihood of hazardous slip and fall accidents in workplaces. The present study intended to extend understanding of the effect of abnormal neck posture on postural control during quiet standing. The effect of body fatigue on the postural control was also of primary concern. Twelve healthy undergraduate students volunteered to participate in the experiment. Standing on a force platform with the neck neutral, flexed, extended, or rotated, subjects' center of pressures (COP) were measured under the two levels of body fatigue. For the fatigue condition, Subjects exercised in a treadmill to meet the predetermined level of body fatigue. Analyzing the position coordinates of COPs, the length of postural sway path was assessed in both medio-lateral (ML) axis and anterior-posterior (AP) axis. Results showed that, in AP direction, neck extension or rotation significantly increased the sway length as compared with neck neutral. Neck extension led to greater sway length compared to neck rotation. Neck flexion did not differ from neck neutral. The sway length in the AP direction also became significantly larger as the body fatigue accumulated after treadmill exercise. In ML direction, as compared to neutral posture, the neck extension, flexion, or rotation did not significantly affect the length of postural sway path. However, the sway length seemed to increase marginally with the neck extended during the fatigued condition. This study demonstrates that abnormal neck posture may interfere with postural control during standing. The ability to maintain postural stability decreases significantly with the neck extended or rotated. Body fatigue leads to postural instability further.