• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.1619-1625
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• 2018

To examine the changes in pain, the severity of the neck disorder, craniovertebral angle, and muscle activity in young adults with forward head posture. 37 "N" University students in their 20s with forward head posture, including both male and female participants. Measurement of pain, NDI (neck disorder index) craniovertebral angle, and muscle activity were taken before and after the 6 week intervention period. The pain was measured using the visual analog scale. The severity of the neck disorder was measured using the NDI The craniovertebral angle was measured by taking a photo. The muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography. Neck posture correction exercises paired with proprioceptive training is the most effective intervention for reducing pain. Both neck posture correction exercises paired with Kinesio taping or proprioceptive training are effective interventions for addressing neck disability, craniocervical angle, and muscle activity. Neck posture correction exercises paired with Kinesio taping or proprioceptive training are more effective at addressing pain, neck disorder, craniocervical angle, and muscle activity than performing the neck posture correction exercises alone.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.57-69
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• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the effects of neck and trunk combined exercise program and single exercise on neck angle and neck and shoulder muscle activity. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: In the single exercise group, the basic stretching, head bending and neck bending exercises were performed. The neck and trunk combined exercise group performed torso strength and trunk stability exercises to stabilize the trunk, and then performed the same neck exercise as the single exercise group. The exercise program was conducted 5 days per week for 2 weeks. One-way repeated ANOVA was used to investigate the statistical analysis of neck angle, neck and upper and middle trapezius muscle activity. Results: 1) There was no significant difference in neck angle degree after exercise in neck single exercise group. 2) In the neck and trunk combined exercise, the neck angle degree decreased continuously with the increase of the experimental period and showed a significant difference. 3) In the single exercise group, the muscles which showed significant difference compared to the post-exercise were the right upper, left and right middle trapezius. 4) In the neck and trunk combined exercise group, the right neck muscles showed significant difference after the exercise before the experiment. Conclusion: It was found that the neck and trunk combined exercise was more effective in reducing neck angle and the muscle activity of the subjects with forward head posture was decreased and increased. However, both exercises showed positive effects.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.33-37
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• 2015

Background: The purpose of this study on the effects of deep cervical flexors strengthening exercise to forward head posture and pain of neck in patients with chronic neck pain. Method: We selected 30 subjects among neck pain patients and carried out measurements. The subjects' forward head posture was measured including head tilt angle (HTA), neck flexion angle (NFA) and forward shoulder angle (FSA), neck disability index (NDI), numeric rating scale (NRS). The subjects underwent deep cervical flexors muscle strengthening with pressure bio-feedback device for 4 weeks. Then, after intervention, the subjects' forward head posture was measured again. It was performed Wilcoxon signed-ranks test for confirming the effect of deep cervical flexor muscles strengthening exercise. Results: As a result of comparison of measurements before and after intervention, we found that there were statistically significant improvement in the subjects' NDI, NRS and forward head posture including head tilt angle, neck flexion angle and forward shoulder angle. Conclusion: We concluded that deep cervical flexors strengthening exercise has the effect of alleviation of neck pain patients and is effective for forward head posture.

• 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 Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.35-39
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in the neck flexion angle according to posture while using a smartphone and the duration of smartphone usage. METHODS: The subjects in this study were 16 healthy young students in their 20s. The subjects wore a cervical range of motion instrument. They were instructed to use a smartphone while standing, sitting on a chair, and sitting on the floor. In all postures, they could use the smartphone and use their arms freely while keeping their back connected to the wall or the back of the chair. When sitting on the floor, they assumed a cross-legged position. The neck flexion angle was measured at zero, three, six, and nine minutes for each posture. RESULTS: Neck flexion is affected by the posture while using a smartphone (p<.05). Neck flexion in the standing position is larger than that in the sitting on the floor position. Neck flexion was affected by smartphone usage duration (p<.05). In general, as usage time increases, the neck flexion angle increases as well. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that using smartphone in the standing position and for a short period of time is a method to reduce the neck flexion angle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of neck exercises on neck-shoulder posture and pain of high school students with neck disorders. Methods: Twenty seven subjects were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups a craniocervical flexion training group (CCFT), a neck strengthening exercise group (ST), and a basic stretching exercise group (CG). CCFT and ST exercised five times a week for eight weeks under the researcher's guidance. The control group performed basic stretching exercises. Diagnostic radiologic equipment was used for the measurement of neck-shoulder posture. Neck disability index, and numeric rating scales were used. Results: The CCFT showed a significant pre-post treatment difference on measures of neck flexion angle and forward shoulder angle changes compared to the ST and CG groups (p<0.05). The CCFT group also showed a significantly greater improvement on the neck disability index and numeric rating scales changes than the ST and CG groups (p<0.01). Conclusion: Because CCFT decreases neck flexion angle, forward shoulder angle, neck disability index, and pain in the forward head posture, it is useful for treating patients with neck disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2019

PURPOSE: The continued use of smartphones has resulted in an abnormal body posture and neck alignment changes. Maintaining this posture for a long time weakens the flexor muscles in the neck and shortens the extensor muscles in the neck. This study examined the correlation between the suboccipital muscle tension and deep neck flexor muscle physical endurance according to the craniovertebral angles. METHODS: The craniovertebral angle, tension of the suboccipital muscle and endurance of the deep neck flexor muscle were measured in 58 healthy 20-year-old male and female college students. The tension of suboccipital muscle and endurance of the deep neck flexor muscle were then divided according to the body mass index (BMI). Their correlation with the craniovertebral angle was then examined. Each parameter was measured three times to determine the interrater reliability. RESULTS: The craniovertebral angle and suboccipital muscle tension showed differed significantly. On the other hand, the craniovertebral angle and deep neck flexor muscle physical endurance showed no significant differences. CONCLUSION: The results show that the craniovertebral angle and deep neck flexor muscle physical endurance were not correlated, but a smaller craniovertebral angle resulted in a higher suboccipital muscle tension.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.158-163
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among pain, range of motion of the neck, neck disability index and grip strength after thoracic manipulation and cervical stabilization training in patients with chronic neck pain. Methods: In this study, twelve subjects with chronic neck pain were included. All participants had thoracic manipulation and cervical stabilization training. Intervention was conducted three times per a week, for 4 weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS), range of motion of neck, neck disability index (NDI), as well as the grip strength before and after intervention were measured in all participants. Paired t-test was used to compare variables before and after intervention. Pearson correlation analysis was used to identify the correlations between the variables. Results: All variables after the intervention were significantly improved. There was a significant negative correlation between VAS and flexion angle of the neck (r=-0.669, p<0.05). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between NDI and VAS (r=0.636, p<0.05), and a significant negative correlation between NDI and flexion angle of the neck (r=-0.692, p<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with reduced pain following therapeutic intervention illustrated that there would be an improvement in the flexion angle rather than the extension angle of the neck, and that those with increased flexion angle would have less restriction of activities in daily living.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.865-870
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• 2015

This study examined the effects of stretching and sling stabilizing exercises on changes in the angle of the cervical spine in military neck patients. The subjects were 20 adults diagnosed with a military neck(male:10, female:10) and they were randomly and equally assigned to a stretching exercise group and a sling stabilization exercise group. The total study period was four weeks. The intervention was applied three times per week for 60 minutes per each time. Before conducting the exercise, X-ray of each group was photographed to measure craniospinal angle(CVA) and cranial rotation angle(CRA). According to the result of comparing the two groups in changes in the cervical spine angle, there was no significant difference, and the result of comparing pre- and post-intervention was that there was significant change in CVA and CRA in the stretching group (p<.05) but there was no significant change in CVA and CRA in the sling stabilization exercise. Such result suggests stretching exercise is good for improving a military neck and stretching is more effective than sling in the therapeutic intervention for a military neck.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.88-97
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• 2024

Background: This study was to investigate effects of Correlation Analysis between Cervical-Vertebra Angle and Neck Range of Motion, Muscle Strength, Sternocleidomastoid Thickness of Patients with Forward Head Posture Design: Correlation Analysis. Methods: The subjects of this study were a total of 54 people in the forward head position and their ages were between 30 and 50 years old. The subjects cranio-vertebral angles, neck extension, neck flexion, neck rotation angles, neck flexor strength, neck extensor strength, sternocleidomastoid thickness were evaluated through measuring instruments. The thickness of the sternocleidomastoid muscle was measured using an imaging ultrasound diagnostic device (ultra sound, Versana Premier, GE Medical systems, China). CVA was measured by measuring the side photo of the subject was taken with a camera and evaluated.. neck joint range of motion was measured through digital inclinometer for extension, flexion, and neck rotation. neck muscle strength was measured by measuring the using a digital sthenometer. Data analysis in this study was statistically processed using SPSS version 26.0 (IBM SPSS Inc., USA). Correlation analysis was used and the statistical significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The results neck extension(r= 0.70^**), neck flexion(r= 0.67^**), neck rotation(r= 0.56^**), neck extensor muscle strengt(r= 0.85^**), neck flexor muscle strength(r= 0.66^**), sternocleidomastoid thicknes(r= -0.81^**) It indicates that there is a correlation. Conclusion:These results improve the Cervical-vertebra angle of patients with forward head posture should include a program to improve the thickness of the SCM. In the future, study can be used as an evidentiary material for treatment interventions to improve the Cervical-vertebra angle of patients with forward head posture.