The Impact of 10 Weeks of Selected Corrective Exercises on Trunk Extensor Muscle Strength and Posture Correction in...

Upper cross syndrome (UCS) in children and teenagers has surged due to the extensive use of tablets and mobile phones, as well as poor postural habits. Persistent poor posture during adolescence can result in significant postural abnormalities in adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of selected corrective exercises on trunk extensor muscle strength and posture correction in adolescents with upper-crossed syndrome.

This study was quasi-experimental and conducted from October 2020 to January 2021 at Sistan and Baluchestan University, Zahedan, Iran. 208 male adolescents were initially screened based on their posture for sampling. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, twenty-four adolescents, aged 16.43±0.58 years, diagnosed with UCS, were randomly allocated to the corrective exercises group (n=12) or the control group (n=12). Random Number Generator Software was applied for randomization. Measurements of kyphosis, forward head and shoulder, and trunk extensor muscle strength were conducted using a flexible ruler, photography, and a dynamometer, respectively. The corrective exercises were implemented for 10 weeks. The control group did not engage in any intervention. Paired t-tests and independent t-tests were applied as statistical methods for analysis.

The corrective exercises group exhibited a significant improvement in kyphosis (8.80, P=0.001), forward head (5.39, P=0.02), and the strength of trunk extensors (4.83%, P=0.001) as compared with the control group. Although the corrective exercise group displayed a significant correction from the pre-test to the post-test in forward shoulder (6.08, P=0.001), this improvement was not significant compared with the control group (P=0.06).

This study concluded that a 10-week corrective exercises program can serve as an effective strategy for correcting posture and increasing trunk extensor muscle strength in adolescents with upper-crossed syndrome.