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Home-Based Corrective Exercise With Remote Reinforcement for Upper Crossed Syndrome

4 novembre 2026 mis à jour par: JORGE MONTERO CÁMARA, Cardenal Herrera University

Effects of a Home-Based Corrective Exercise Program With Active Remote Reinforcement on Craniovertebral Angle, Rounded Shoulder Posture, Thoracic Kyphosis, Pain, Cervical and Shoulder Disability, and Pulmonary Function i Adults With Upper Crossed Syndrome: A Two-Arm Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial

Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS) is a musculoskeletal condition defined by simultaneous forward head posture (craniovertebral angle, CVA < 52°), rounded shoulders (RSP > 52°), and thoracic hyperkyphosis (> 42°). It is highly prevalent in sedentary workers and musicians and is associated with neck pain, shoulder pain, and reduced pulmonary function. This two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial will compare two home-based corrective exercise programs over 12 weeks in adults with confirmed UCS. Both groups (Experimental, EG; Control, CG) perform the same 20-minute program three times per week: diaphragmatic breathing re-education and targeted muscle strengthening and stretching. The EG additionally uses a volumetric incentive spirometer (Coach2, 4000 mL) as respiratory biofeedback and receives active remote reinforcement (biweekly video calls + asynchronous educational material from a physiotherapist); the CG performs the same exercises without the spirometer and receives only minimal adherence monitoring. Outcomes are assessed at baseline (week 0) and at weeks 4, 8, and 12. Primary outcome: craniovertebral angle (CVA) measured by lateral photogrammetry. Secondary outcomes: rounded shoulder angle (RSP), thoracic kyphosis (bubble inclinometer and smartphone inclinometer), pain (Visual Analogue Scale), cervical disability (Neck Disability Index), shoulder pain and disability (SPADI), exercise adherence, and pulmonary function (spirometry: FVC, FEV₁/FVC, MVV) at weeks 0 and 12. Recruitment will take place at the Associació Amics de la Música de Meliana, Fisioterapia A Punto, and Universidad Cardenal Herrera CEU (Valencia, Spain). A total of 96 participants (48 per arm) will be enrolled over a 2-year recruitment window.

Aperçu de l'étude

Statut

Pas encore de recrutement

Les conditions

Intervention / Traitement

Type d'étude

Interventionnel

Inscription (Estimé)

96

Phase

  • N'est pas applicable

Contacts et emplacements

Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.

Coordonnées de l'étude

Critères de participation

Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.

Critère d'éligibilité

Âges éligibles pour étudier

18 ans à 65 ans (Adulte, Adulte plus âgé)

Accepte les volontaires sains

Non

Sexes éligibles pour l'étude

Tout

La description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • • Confirmed UCS diagnosis, defined by the simultaneous presence of: (a) craniovertebral angle (CVA) < 52°; (b) rounded shoulder posture angle (RSP) > 52°; and (c) thoracic kyphosis angle > 42°.

    • Age between 18 and 65 years.
    • Available and willing to perform the home exercise program and to attend all four face-to-face assessment sessions (weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12).
    • Access to a camera-equipped device (smartphone or tablet) for remote monitoring and reinforcement.
    • Ability to understand the study procedures and to sign informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Severe cervical or thoracic pathology: vertebral fracture, neoplasm, infection, or active systemic inflammatory disease.

    • Spinal surgery within the preceding 12 months.
    • Respiratory pathology contraindicating use of a volumetric incentive spirometer: recent pneumothorax (< 6 weeks), COPD GOLD grade III-IV, or unstable bronchial asthma.
    • Active physiotherapy treatment specifically targeting UCS within the preceding 3 months.
    • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
    • Cognitive impairment or language barrier preventing comprehension of the exercise program.
    • Simultaneous participation in another clinical trial.

Plan d'étude

Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.

Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?

Détails de conception

  • Objectif principal: Traitement
  • Répartition: Randomisé
  • Modèle interventionnel: Affectation parallèle
  • Masquage: Seul

Armes et Interventions

Groupe de participants / Bras
Intervention / Traitement
Expérimental: Experimental Group (EC)

Home-based corrective exercise program (3 sessions/week × 12 weeks, 20 min/session) combining: (1) diaphragmatic breathing re-education with a volumetric incentive spirometer (Coach2, 4000 mL, Smiths Medical) as biofeedback - 4 progressive levels, 10 repetitions; (2) muscle strengthening and stretching targeting the deep cervical flexors, lower and middle trapezius, rhomboids, and pectoral/suboccipital muscles. The EG additionally receives active remote reinforcement: a biweekly video call with a physiotherapist and asynchronous educational material (written guides and video tutorials) delivered via a messaging platform.

Home-based corrective exercise program (3 sessions/week × 12 weeks, 20 min/session) combining: (1) diaphragmatic breathing re-education with a volumetric incentive spirometer (Coach2, 4000 mL, Smiths Medical) as biofeedback - 4 progressive levels, 10 repetitions; (2) muscle strengthening and stretching targeting the deep cervical flexors, lower and middle trapezius, rhomboids, and pectoral/suboccipital muscles. The EG additionally receives active remote reinforcement: a biweekly video call with a physiotherapist and asynchronous educational material (written guides and video tutorials) delivered via a messaging platform.

Comparateur actif: Control Group (CG)

Identical home-based corrective exercise program (3 sessions/week × 12 weeks, 20 min/session) with the same muscle strengthening and stretching exercises. The CG does not use an incentive spirometer (diaphragmatic breathing performed without device) and does not receive active remote reinforcement; adherence monitoring is minimal (standardized paper diary).

Identical home-based corrective exercise program (3 sessions/week × 12 weeks, 20 min/session) with the same muscle strengthening and stretching exercises. The CG does not use an incentive spirometer (diaphragmatic breathing performed without device) and does not receive active remote reinforcement; adherence monitoring is minimal (standardized paper diary).

Que mesure l'étude ?

Principaux critères de jugement

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Craniovertebral Angle (CVA)
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

Angle formed between the horizontal line at the C7 spinous process and the line connecting C7 to the ipsilateral ear tragus, measured by lateral photogrammetry using standardized adhesive markers and Kinovea software. A lower CVA indicates greater forward head posture (normal > 52°).

Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

Mesures de résultats secondaires

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Rounded Shoulder Posture Angle (RSP)
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

Angle between the line connecting the C7 spinous process to the right acromion and the horizontal, measured by lateral photogrammetry (Kinovea). Values > 52° indicate rounded shoulder posture.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Thoracic Kyphosis Angle - Bubble Inclinometer
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

Single-inclinometer sequential method: the instrument (Baseline, Fabrication Enterprises Inc., White Plains, NY) is zeroed at T1 and the angle is read at T12. Three measurements per time point; mean used for analysis.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Thoracic Kyphosis Angle - Smartphone Inclinometer
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

Same T1-T12 sequential method using the Clinometer app (Plaincode) on iPhone 17. The upper corner of the narrow side of the phone is placed at T1 (zeroed to 0°), then moved to T12 (angle read). Three measurements per time point; mean used for analysis.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Pain Intensity - Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

100-mm horizontal VAS (0 = no pain; 100 = worst imaginable pain) for neck and interscapular pain during the past week. Minimum clinically important difference (MCID): 15 mm.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Cervical Disability - Neck Disability Index (NDI)
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

10-item self-reported questionnaire assessing the impact of neck pain on daily activities; total score 0-50. Spanish validated version used. MCID: 5 points (10%). Interpretation: 0-8% no disability; 10-28% mild; 30-48% moderate; 50-64% severe; ≥ 64% complete disability.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Shoulder Pain and Disability - SPADI
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12

13-item self-reported questionnaire with two subscales (Pain: 5 items; Disability: 8 items), each item scored 0-10. Total score 0-100 (higher = worse). MCID: 13-18 points. Spanish validated version used.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 4, Week 8, Week 12
Exercise Adherence
Délai: Weeks 1-12 (cumulative at each assessment point)

Percentage of prescribed sessions completed out of 36 planned sessions (3/week × 12 weeks), recorded in standardized session diaries. Adequate adherence defined as ≥ 70%

Weeks 1-12 (cumulative at each assessment point)
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC, % predicted)
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 12

Spirometric measurement (forced vital capacity as percentage of age-sex-height-weight predicted value). ATS acceptability and reproducibility criteria applied; 3 measurements per session, mean used.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 12
FEV₁/FVC Ratio (% predicted)
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 12

Ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity, expressed as percentage of predicted value.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 12
Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV, % predicted)
Délai: Baseline (Week 0), Week 12

Spirometric measure of maximum airflow over 12-15 seconds, expressed as percentage of predicted value.

Baseline (Week 0), Week 12

Collaborateurs et enquêteurs

C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.

Parrainer

Publications et liens utiles

La personne responsable de la saisie des informations sur l'étude fournit volontairement ces publications. Il peut s'agir de tout ce qui concerne l'étude.

Publications générales

Dates d'enregistrement des études

Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.

Dates principales de l'étude

Début de l'étude (Estimé)

9 novembre 2026

Achèvement primaire (Estimé)

9 novembre 2028

Achèvement de l'étude (Estimé)

31 décembre 2028

Dates d'inscription aux études

Première soumission

29 octobre 2026

Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

4 novembre 2026

Première publication (Réel)

9 novembre 2026

Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude

Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)

9 novembre 2026

Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

4 novembre 2026

Dernière vérification

1 octobre 2026

Plus d'information

Termes liés à cette étude

Autres numéros d'identification d'étude

  • CEEI26_865
  • CEEI26_865 (Autre identifiant: CardenalHU)

Plan pour les données individuelles des participants (IPD)

Prévoyez-vous de partager les données individuelles des participants (DPI) ?

NON

Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude

Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Ces informations ont été extraites directement du site Web clinicaltrials.gov sans aucune modification. Si vous avez des demandes de modification, de suppression ou de mise à jour des détails de votre étude, veuillez contacter register@clinicaltrials.gov. Dès qu'un changement est mis en œuvre sur clinicaltrials.gov, il sera également mis à jour automatiquement sur notre site Web .