• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.50-67
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• 2024

This study developed a thoracic support harness designed to contract the lower trapezius muscle through electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) applied to the subscapularis region. Fifteen female office workers in their 30s who were diagnosed with forward head posture syndrome (FHP) participated in experiments evaluating stiffness and rigidity of the upper trapezius muscle. The experiment measured FHP Angle (FHPA), Neck Flexion Angle (NFA), Neck Extension Angle (NEA), Neck Rotation Angle (NRA), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain perception and comfort. Participants were divided into four groups (A, B, C, D) for sequential testing. Group A served as control, Group B performed upper trapezius stretching (UTS), Group C received EMS to stimulate weakened lower trapezius muscle. Group D underwent both UTS and EMS concurrently. After intervention, cervical angles and VAS scores were compared between groups. Statistical analysis using t-tests revealed significant differences between Group A and Group B, C, or D. ANOVA was used to test mean differences among groups, followed by Tukey-Kramer post-hoc tests to identify specific group differences. Results indicated that stretching or EMS alone had limited effects, while a combination of stretching and EMS showed significant benefits. The comfort level of the harness was rated at an average of 3.86 with a standard deviation of 2.38