Effect of Scapular Stabilization Exercises on Scapular Muscles Strength and Kyphosis Index in Smartphone Users

This study will be conducted to investigate the effect of scapular stabilization exercises on scapular muscles strength (serratus anterior, lower fibers of trapezius, rhomboid major and minor), pain intensity level and kyphosis index in different duration of time using daily of smartphone in smartphone users.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Muscle Weakness; Smartphone Addiction
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Postural correction exercises; Other: Scapular Stabilization exercises

Detailed Description

Modern people use a smartphone along the day, including occupational and leisure activities. Repeated and prolonged use of smartphones affecting muscular activity and strength around the shoulders and upper back especially serratus anterior during maintaining an un ideal posture which may result in the development of postural changes as excessive thoracic kyphosis which in turn will result in inadequate muscles contractions, weakening of postural muscles and fatigue. Scapular muscles strength should be balanced or integrated (muscle balance) and worked in synchronized motion, so, alteration in scapulothoracic motion in resting position or dynamic motion of scapula described as scapulothoracic dysfunction. Muscle imbalances occurs and lower trapezius, serratus anterior and rhomboids muscles are the most common muscles prone to weakness due to exposure to sustained awkward posture or adaptive postures and restriction to specific activity. Continuous use of smartphone for more than 4 hours daily increases shoulder and parascapular pain, fatigue, decrease strength of scapular muscles (lower fibers of trapezius for scapular adduction and depression and rhomboids for scapular adduction and downward rotation) in right dominant side due to prolonged hyperactivity, then weakness.The excessive use of smartphones correlates with increases incidence of vertebral static disorders, especially kyphosis.

Scapular stabilization exercises were effective in the early rehabilitation and the balance of both sides of the trapezius with the movement and couple motion of the scapula. It is also effective in increasing muscle activation in the serratus anterior and lower trapezius.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 88
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Outpatient Clinic, Faculty Of Physical Therapy
    • Dokki, Outpatient Clinic, Faculty Of Physical Therapy, Egypt, 34518
      • Recruiting
      • Cairo University
      • Contact: Amira Hussin

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 17 years to 45 years (ADULT, CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Critria

• Normal subjects from both genders.
• Subjects had to be right hand dominant.
• Age ranged from 17 to 45 years old.
• All subjects had at least 6 months experience in using touch-screen smartphones.
• The mean of smartphone size included in the study will be 5 inches (Mohamed et al., 2020).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any pain or limitation (dysfunction) at neck and shoulder.
• Any congenital abnormalities in either the cervical or the lumbar spine.
• Previous history of severe surgical procedures.
• Any history of upper extremity injury within the past year.
• Visual problems, dizziness and vertigo.
• Any deformity in the upper extremities or spine.
• Neurological or systemic disorders.
• If they had taken any sedative drug or alcohol within the past 48 hours.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: PREVENTION
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: FACTORIAL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
OTHER: posture correction exercises group 1; Group A (Control group 1): Participants using smartphones more than 4 hours per day will receive posture correction exercises only.	Other: Postural correction exercises; Therapeutic exercises
EXPERIMENTAL: scapular stabilization and postural correction exercises group 1; Group B (Experimental group 1): Participants using smartphones more than 4 hours per day will receive scapular stabilization and postural correction exercises.	Other: Postural correction exercises; Therapeutic exercises; Other: Scapular Stabilization exercises; Therapeutic exercises
OTHER: posture correction exercises group 2; Group C (Control group 2): Participants using smartphones less than 4 hours per day will receive posture correction exercises only.	Other: Postural correction exercises; Therapeutic exercises
EXPERIMENTAL: scapular stabilization and postural correction exercises group 2; Group D (Experimental group 2): Participants using smartphones less than 4 hours per day will receive scapular stabilization and postural correction exercises.	Other: Postural correction exercises; Therapeutic exercises; Other: Scapular Stabilization exercises; Therapeutic exercises

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Assessment of change in scapular Muscles strength	To assess the change in scapular Muscles strength by pull push dynamometer (Newton).	at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention
Assessment of change in kyphosis Index	To assess the change in kyphosis Index for thoracic spine pre and post scapular Stabilization exercises for smartphone users by flexible ruler.	at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention
Assessment of change in pain intensity level	To assess the change in pain intensity level using visual analog scale (scores) (score 0: means no pain & score 10: means highest pain)	at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): June 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED): June 1, 2023
• Study Completion (ANTICIPATED): July 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 18, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 23, 2022
• First Posted (ACTUAL): June 29, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): June 29, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 23, 2022
• Last Verified: June 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Spinal Diseases; Bone Diseases; Spinal Curvatures; Compulsive Behavior; Impulsive Behavior; Behavior, Addictive; Muscle Weakness; Internet Addiction Disorder; Kyphosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: P.T.REC/012/003673

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No