Evaluating Differences Between Participants With Various Forward Head Posture With and Without Postural Neck Pain...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Anatomy
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Forward head posture (FHP) is a common postural deviation.
• FHP can be associated with neck pain and altered biomechanics.
• Quantifying FHP severity and its relationship with pain is crucial for understanding its impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in craniovertebral angle (CVA) and forward shoulder angle (FSA) among individuals with varying degrees of FHP.
• To determine if the presence or absence of neck pain influences these angular measurements in different FHP severities.

Main Methods:

• Ninety participants (20-50 years) were classified into four groups: slight FHP with/without pain, and moderate-to-severe FHP with/without pain.
• Digital imaging was used to measure CVA and FSA in a standing position.
• One-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests were employed for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• A significant difference in CVA was found across all four groups (P < .001).
• Moderate-to-severe FHP groups exhibited significantly smaller CVAs compared to slight FHP groups (P < .001).
• FSA showed a significant difference overall (P < .009), but was only significantly smaller in the moderate-to-severe FHP with pain group compared to the slight FHP with pain group (P = .005).

Conclusions:

• Moderate-to-severe forward head posture is associated with significantly reduced craniovertebral angles.
• While forward shoulder angle was affected in severe FHP with pain, pain itself did not significantly alter CVA or FSA across all groups.
• These findings highlight the biomechanical changes associated with FHP severity, independent of pain status in some measures.