Effects of a ۱۲-Week Global Corrective Exercise Intervention on Sway Back Posture in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Sway back posture (SBP) is a common postural deviationof sagittal alignment and is the most common postural deviation in ۱۸to ۲۸-year-old individuals, but there is no standard exercise protocolfor treating SBP. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of theglobal corrective exercise intervention (GCEI) on spinal posture ofhealthy individuals ۱۸-۲۵ years of age with SBP.Methods: This study was a randomized controlled design with aparallel group, two-arm trial with ۱:۱ allocation ratio. Seventyparticipants (mean age ۲۰.۹ ± ۲.۱ years) with SBP (⩾ ۱۰°) wereenrolled in the study for ۱۲ weeks. The participants were randomlyassigned to an exercise (n = ۳۵) or control group (n = ۳۵). Thetargeted global spine strengthening and stretching exerciseintervention included core and postural training, delivered by acorrective exercise specialist in ۲ groups of ۲۰ and ۱۵ participants ۳times a week for ۱۲ weeks. Forward head angle and sway angle weremeasured using a digitized side-view photograph. Kyphosis index andllordosis index were measured using a flex curve ruler.Results: The ۱۲-week intervention program resulted in significantwithin group differences in forward head, kyphosis, lordosis andpostural sway angle (P < ۰.۰۰۱). There was also a significant betweengroup difference in the changes of all postural variables (P < ۰.۰۰۱).Conclusions: The GCEI resulted in improved sway back posture in oursample of ۱۸-۲۵-year-old participants. This study supports thetheoretical basis for clinical rehabilitation of postural deviations.Further studies are required to generalize these findings to other ageand population groups.

Keywords:

Posture , Sway back , Corrective exercise , Spinal alignment