INTRODUCTION: Forward head posture (FHP) is a condition where the head shifts anteriorly in the cervical spine's sagittal plane, which affects the activation of the muscles encompassing the shoulder complex as well as scapular mechanics, leading to changes in force couples, tissue overuse, pain, weakness in the deep cervical flexors, and uncontrolled movement of the cervical and shoulder muscles. This aim of the study was to determine the effect of additional cervical and shoulder kinetic control (KC) training on deep cervical flexor endurance (DCFE) (motor control), craniovertebral angle (CVA), neck pain (NP), and neck disability index (NDI) in participants with symptomatic FHP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-two participants with symptomatic FHP, aged 18 to 40 years, were randomly distributed into two equal groups; a control group (A) which received conventional physical therapy (21 participants), and an experimental group (B) which underwent the same treatment plus (KC) exercises (21 participants). Treatments were conducted three times weekly for four weeks. The following were evaluated pre- and post-intervention: CVA by Photographic Posture Analysis Method, pain severity by Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), neck function by NDI, and DCFE by Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT). RESULTS: Post-intervention, significantly greater improvements in NDI and DCFE were noted in group B compared to group A (p < 0.05). However, no significant change was detected in CVA and NPRS after intervention (p > 0.05) across both groups. CONCLUSIONS: KC is more effective at improving DCFE (motor control) and functional disability than conventional therapy. The combination of KC and conventional therapy enhanced CVA and NPRS with equal effectiveness.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• publisher