Pilates Mat Versus Cervical Stabilization Exercises on Myoelectric Activity of Cervical Muscles in Forward Head Posture

Musculoskeletal Diseases Clinical Trial

— FHP  

Official title:

Pilates Mat Versus Cervical Stabilization Exercises on Myoelectric Activity of Cervical Muscles, Craniovertebral Angle, Pain and Function in Young Adults With Forward Head Posture: Randomized Controlled Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05069181
• Other study ID #: P.T.REC/012/003349
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 1, 2021
• Est. completion date: February 1, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: October 2022
• Source: Cairo University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

see if there is no statistical significant difference between the effects of Pilates mat versus cervical stabilization exercises on myoelectric activity of cervical muscles in young adults with forward head posture.

Description:

Forward head posture (FHP) increases extension of the atlanto-occipital joint and the upper cervical vertebrae as well as flexion of the lower cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae. Furthermore, this posture causes persistent and abnormal contraction of the suboccipital, neck, and shoulder muscles. Additionally, the muscles around the head and shoulders, including the trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, suboccipital, and temporal, are affected by FHP, which further worsens postural deformity. FHP is the most common deviation from ideal head posture and is characterized by the head projecting forward into the sagittal plane such that it is anterior to the trunk. Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine, which pull the entire spine out of alignment, in addition, loss of the physiological lordosis could be a possible cause of pain due to muscular imbalance.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 60
• Est. completion date: February 1, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: December 30, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 25 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects of both genders aged 18-25 years old with forward head posture will be included in this study
• Subjects have forward head posture if craniovertebral angle = 50.
• Subjects complain non- specific neck pain for at least 3 months or at least two episodes of non-specific neck pain during the last three months.
• Normal body mass index

Exclusion Criteria:

• Subjects with any spinal problems
• Subjects with experience in Pilates exercises through the last 3 months of the start of intervention will be excluded from the study
• Previous surgery in the neck and shoulder regions
• Current participation in a structured exercises program
• Neurological symptoms of the upper extremities during screening tests (e.g., Spurling test and upper limb tension tests)
• Red flags suggesting of cancer, infection, vascular insufficiency
• Cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Musculoskeletal Diseases

Intervention

Other:
• Pilates mat exercises
Pilates mat exercises: Each Pilates session will last for one hour and commence with a 10 minute warm up and finish with a 10 min cool down. The subjects will be taught the 5 key elements of Pilates (lateral costal breathing, centring which is a neutral position of the lumbar spine with activation of the core muscles, ribcage placement, shoulder blade placement and neutral position of the cervical spine with slight upper cervical flexion at the cranio-cervical junction). Pilates exercise program will consist of warm up exercises, main treatment program (10 level) and cooling down exercises.
• cervical stabilization exercises
training of deep cervical flexor muscles with pressure biofeedback unit, 20 min/day, 3 days/week for 12 weeks.
• conventional physiotherapy
10 min hot pack on cervical area range of motion exercises and isometric neck exercises as a home program 3 days/week for 12 weeks

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Egypt	Faculty of Physical Therapy-Cairo University	Giza

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Cairo University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Egypt, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Myoelectric activity of cervical muscles	by surface electromyography (EMG)	up to twelve weeks
Primary	Craniocervical angle	by photogrammetric method.	up to twelve weeks
Secondary	Pain intensity of neck area	by visual analogue scale 10 cm line with 2 ends, 0 and 10 ends 0 end means no pain 10 end means the worst pain	up to twelve weeks
Secondary	function of daily life	by neck disability index	up to twelve weeks