Effect of Muscle Energy Technique on Craniovertebral and Shoulder Angles in Forward Head Posture

The study will be determine how muscle energy strategy for the upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles affects the craniovertebral angle and shoulder angle.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Forward Head Posture
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: exersice program (Muscle energy technique); Other: exersice program (stretching and strengthening exercises ) In addition to postural advices

Detailed Description

Participants in group (A) received PIR for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles. the therapist moved the subject's head into the position that put each muscle in stretch, once resistance/ barrier was felt, that position was held and subjects were asked to isometrically contract the target muscle with 20% of maximal contraction for 5 sec against mild resistance from the therapist, relax for 5 sec followed by passive stretch until reaching a new barrier for 30 sec, 3 repetitions for each muscle, 3sessions /week over a period of 4 weeks . In addition to the program designed for control group.

The treatment protocol was designed based on the assumption that the targeted muscles are the most shortened muscles in FHP.

PIR for upper trapezius The patient sat on a stool in an erect position. The therapist stood behind the patient with one hand on the patient's ipsilateral shoulder for stabilization, while the other was on the side of the patient's head. The patient's head was moved to flexion, lateral bending to the opposite side and rotation to the same side of the stretched muscle. The ipsilateral hand pushed the shoulder inferiorly to lengthen the muscle until the restrictive barrier was met, then we asked the patients to raise the shoulder against the hand isometrically then gently stretch the muscle until meeting a new barrier.

PIR for upper trapezius PIR for Sternocleidomastoid The patient sat on a stool in an erect position. The therapist stood behind the patient with her forearm on the patient's ipsilateral shoulder for stabilization, while the hands surrounded the patient's head. The head moved into lateral flexion away from the side of the involvement, rotation to the side of involvement, extension of the lower cervical spine and flexion of upper cervical spine to meet the restrictive barrier. The patient was instructed to push forward against the therapist's hand isometrically, and then gently stretch the muscle until meeting a new barrier.

Group (B) Participants in group (B) received static stretching exercise for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid .

Repetitions: 3times/day, 3days/week over a period of 4 weeks, in addition to strengthening exercises of deep cervical flexors and scapular retractor muscles, 3sets of 12 repetitions with 6 sec hold. In addition to postural advices Strengthening of deep cervical flexor muscles Each participant was instructed to sit with his arms relaxed at the side. The area above the lip and under the nose was lightly touched and the patient was asked to tuck his head down and in. The correct movement of tucking the chin in and straightening the spine were verbally reinforced. From sitting position, the patient was asked to tuck chin so that ears were in line with the tip of shoulders.

Strengthening of the scapular retractor muscles The participant sat on a chair without back support. The movement of the medial border of the scapula was gently resisted and the subject pinch them together "retraction". The subject was asked to imagine "holding a quarter between both the shoulder blades". Instructing each subject not to extend the shoulders or elevate the scapulae. The participant then stranded with his hands grasped together behind the lower back (this activity cause scapular adduction). The patient is instructed to adduct scapula and to hold the adducted position with both arms lowered downwards.

Postural education

• Postural advice They were advised that they should not sleep on a foam rubber pillow; should use a chair with proper back support and an arm rest of an appropriate height to provide elbow support while working at a keyboard and computer; should avoid leaning forward toward the screen of a computer or on a desk while writing for a prolonged period; and should avoid prolonged conversation on a telephone while holding the receiver by tilting the neck. Furthermore, the participants were advised to relieve muscle tension after every 20-30 minutes of work by getting up; stretching the arm, shoulder, neck, and back muscles; and walking to turn off the buzzer and reset the timer. They should either avoid prolonged carrying of a bag on any one side of the shoulder or balance the hanging weight of the bag on both sides of the shoulder.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Giza, Egypt
    • Cairo University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 23 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Both sex will be included with age ranged between (18-23) years old
• subject with CVA less than 50°
• subject with shoulder angle less than 52.28°.
• Subjects without neck or shoulder pain or recent shoulder fracture.
• Body mass index between (18-31) Kg/m2
• They will understand and follow instructions included in the test.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Recent shoulder fracture
• Athlete
• Cervical disc
• Radiculopathy
• Subjects had symptoms of vertigo, dizziness.
• Subjects had visual or auditory problems.
• Subjects had an autoimmune disease or systemic disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: treatment group; (30) thirty patients with forward head received PIR for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles. the therapist moved the subject's head into the position that put each muscle in stretch, once resistance/ barrier was felt, that position was held and subjects were asked to isometrically contract the target muscle with 20% of maximal contraction for 5 sec against mild resistance from the therapist, relax for 5 sec followed by passive stretch until reaching a new barrier for 30 sec, 3 repetitions for each muscle, 3sessions /week over a period of 4 weeks In addition to the program designed for control group.	Other: exersice program (Muscle energy technique); Post isometric relaxation for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles. the therapist moved the subject's head into the position that put each muscle in stretch, once resistance/ barrier was felt, that position was held and subjects were asked to isometrically contract the target muscle with 20% of maximal contraction for 5 sec against mild resistance from the therapist, relax for 5 sec followed by passive stretch until reaching a new barrier for 30 sec, 3 repetitions for each muscle, 3sessions /week over a period of 4 weeks, In addition to the program designed for control group; Other Names: post isometricrelaxation for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles; Other: exersice program (stretching and strengthening exercises ) In addition to postural advices; static stretching exercise for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid . Repetitions: 3times/day, 3days/week over a period of 4 weeks, in addition to strengthening exercises of deep cervical flexors and scapular retractor muscles, 3sets of 12 repetitions with 6 sec hold. In addition to postural advices; Other Names: traditional tretment
Sham Comparator: control group; (30) thirty patients with forward head received static stretching exercise for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid . Repetitions: 3times/day, 3days/week over a period of 4 weeks, in addition to strengthening exercises of deep cervical flexors and scapular retractor muscles 3sets of 12 repetitions with 6 sec hold. In addition to postural advices	Other: exersice program (stretching and strengthening exercises ) In addition to postural advices; static stretching exercise for upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid . Repetitions: 3times/day, 3days/week over a period of 4 weeks, in addition to strengthening exercises of deep cervical flexors and scapular retractor muscles, 3sets of 12 repetitions with 6 sec hold. In addition to postural advices; Other Names: traditional tretment

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
craniovertebral angle	(CVA): It is the angle formed between a horizontal line through the spinous process of C7 and a line from the tragus of the ear It is a measure of forward head posture	one month
shoulder angle	(SA) : is formed at a line between the center of the humerus and spinous process of C7 and the horizontal line through the center of the humerus. It is a measure of rounded shoulder posture.	one month
Pressure Pain Threshold	the point at which a non-painful pressure stimulus turns into a painful pressure sensation Subjects' pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were assessed using a Commander algometer	one month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Heba Elfaki, MSc, Assist. lecture faculty of physical therapy Cairo university

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Farrar JT, Young JP Jr, LaMoreaux L, Werth JL, Poole MR. Clinical importance of changes in chronic pain intensity measured on an 11-point numerical pain rating scale. Pain. 2001 Nov;94(2):149-158. doi: 10.1016/S0304-3959(01)00349-9.
• Andersen LL, Kjaer M, Andersen CH, Hansen PB, Zebis MK, Hansen K, Sjogaard G. Muscle activation during selected strength exercises in women with chronic neck muscle pain. Phys Ther. 2008 Jun;88(6):703-11. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20070304. Epub 2008 Mar 13.
• Diab AA, Moustafa IM. The efficacy of forward head correction on nerve root function and pain in cervical spondylotic radiculopathy: a randomized trial. Clin Rehabil. 2012 Apr;26(4):351-61. doi: 10.1177/0269215511419536. Epub 2011 Sep 21.
• Falla D, Jull G, Russell T, Vicenzino B, Hodges P. Effect of neck exercise on sitting posture in patients with chronic neck pain. Phys Ther. 2007 Apr;87(4):408-17. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20060009. Epub 2007 Mar 6.
• Grimmer-Somers K, Milanese S, Louw Q. Measurement of cervical posture in the sagittal plane. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2008 Sep;31(7):509-17. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2008.08.005.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 22, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 3, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): January 8, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 9, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 6, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): December 8, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 31, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2026
• Last Verified: November 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: P.T.REC/012/003845

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No