Effect of Electrical Stimulation on Forward Head Posture

Cairo University (CU)

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Forward Head Posture; Rounded Shoulder Posture

Treatments: Device: electrical muscle stimulation device (EMS gymna); Other: physical therapy program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06745960

forward head posture

P.T.REC/012/005173 (Registry Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study aims are:

1. To investigate the effect of electrical stimulation (interferential current) on forward head posture and protracted shoulder in adolescents.
2. To investigate the effect of electrical stimulation on cervical pain, cervical ROM, neck muscle strength, and quality of life in adolescents with forward head posture and protracted shoulder.

Full description

Forward head posture (FHP) is commonly defined as the protrusion of the head in the sagittal plane so that the head is placed anterior to the trunk. It can occur because of anterior translation of the head, and it is claimed to be associated with an increase in upper cervical extension, lower cervical flexion, or both.

Patients with FHP often experience neck pain and disability, it is associated with shortening of the upper trapezius, the posterior cervical extensor muscles, the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and levator scapulae muscle. Thus, FHP may contribute to neck and shoulder pain.

The prolonged uses of mobile phones and computers have led to a variety of musculoskeletal disorders, especially related to the neck as: Forward Head Posture (FHP), rounded shoulders (RS), upper cross syndrome, mechanical neck pain etc. FHP is one in which the upper cervical convexity is increased and the lower cervical convexity is decreased causing anterior weight bearing of the cervical spine. It is also known as Scholar's neck or Reading neck.

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) has been used as a complementary training method, applied either locally or to the whole body. It activates muscles artificially through various electrical current forms, which are delivered through electrodes on the target muscles.

Interferential current (IFC) is an established therapy which is used to treat pain and also effective for providing relaxation of muscles. The application of IFC at the medium frequency which suggests higher penetration of the electrical stimulation in the tissue by reducing tissue impedance

Enrollment: 40 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 15 to 18 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Girls aged between (15-18) years old.
• Normal weight with BMI ranging from (16-25).
• Adolescents with mild and moderate forward head posture(FHP).
• Adolescents with mild and moderate neck pain.
• Adolescents with protracted shoulder.

Exclusion criteria

• Cervical disc.
• Previous Shoulder trauma within last 6months.
• Shoulder surgery.
• Cervical fracture.
• Congenital posture deformity.
• Inflammatory disease, spinal tumor, spinal compression, spinal cord infection.
• Taking any medication for pain

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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40 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

intervention group

Active Comparator group

Description:

study group (interferential current )

Treatment:

Device: electrical muscle stimulation device (EMS gymna)

Other: physical therapy program

physical therapy exercises group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

control group (exercise group)

Treatment:

Other: physical therapy program