The Effect of Manual Therapy and Stabilizing Exercises on Forward Head and Rounded Shoulder Postures: a six-week intervention with a one-month follow-up study (Preprint)
BACKGROUND forward head and round shoulder posture is believed to alter scapular kinematics and muscle activity placing increased stress on the shoulder, leading to shoulder pain and dysfunction. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a six-week combined treatment consisting of manual therapy and stabilizing exercises, with a one-month follow-up, on neck pain with forward head and rounded shoulder postures. METHODS A total of 60 women aged 32-42 years of age with neck pain, and forward head and rounded shoulder postures were randomized into three groups: group 1 performed stabilizing exercises and received manual therapy (n=20), group 2 performed stabilizing exercises (n=20), and group 3 (control group) performed home exercises (n=20) over six weeks.The follow-up time was one month after the post test. The craniocervical and rounded shoulder angles, pain, and function were measured before and after six-week interventions, and a one-month follow- up. RESULTS The results showed significant positive changes within the experimental groupsin all variables, but there were minor changes in the control group in all variables before and after the intervention. Also, there were significant function and pain improvement in the experimental group 1 comparing to group 2. There were no differences between post intervention and one-month follow-up on posture and function in the experimental groups. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that both interventions were significantly effective for reducing neck pain, and improving function and posture in patients with chronic neck pain, and forward head and rounded shoulder postures. However, the improvement in function and pain was more effective in group 1 than those of group 2 suggesting that manual therapy can be used as a supplement method to the stabilizing intervention in the treatment of neck pain. More research is needed to confirm the result of this study.