Efficacy of Adding Scapular Stabilization Exercises to Postural Correctional Exercises on Endurance of Cervical Flexor and Extensor Muscles on Asymptomatic Forward Head Posture; Randomized Controlled Trial

Forward head posture (FHP) is the most common deviation from ideal head posture and is characterized by the head projecting forward into the sagittal plane such that it is anterior to the trunk. Individuals with neck pain frequently demonstrate FHP, when compared to age-matched controls.

Asymmetric posture is a chronic stressor and the origin of most noxious stimuli that could alleviate 70-90 % of chronic pain. It is reported that FHP is a common postural abnormality, with a conservative estimate being 66 % of the patient population. It causes vertebral displacement patterns, abnormal stresses, and strain on the spinal cord. FHP has adverse mechanical tension on neural and vascular elements.

It is theorized that when muscle performance is impaired, the balance between the stabilizers on the posterior aspect of the neck and the DNFs will be disrupted, resulting in loss of proper alignment and posture, which is then likely to contribute to cervical Impairment (loss of range of motion, or decreased strength including, but not limited to, the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), trapezius, and deep neck flexor (DNF) muscles endurance of the neck musculature.

Assessment of DNF muscle performance properties is arguably important given the relationship between DNF muscle torque and endurance deficits and patient complaints of head and neck pain. sixty subjects with forward head posture assigned randomly to three groups. experimental group 1 will receive scapular stabilization plus postural correction exercise and advice, experimental group 2 will receive postural correction exercise plus advice and finally control group will receive advice.