The effects of stabilization exercises using a sling and stretching on the range of motion and cervical alignment of straight neck patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to assess how stretching exercise training and sling exercise training for stabilization influences the cervical spine angles and cervical range of motion of straight neck patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty straight neck patients were selected as subjects and they were randomly divided into two groups, the stretching and sling stabilization exercise groups which 60 minutes of exercise three times a week for 6weeks. All the subjects in each of the two respective study groups received an X-ray and had their cervical range of motion measured, both before and after the exercise. [Results] When differences in the cervical spine angle between the pre- and the post-test were checked, it was found that only the stretching exercise group showed statistically significant decreases in the craniovertebral angle and the cranial rotation angle. When differences in the range of motion between pre- and post-test were checked, the sling stabilization exercise group showed a significant change in flexion, right rotation, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, and the stretching exercise group showed a significant change in left rotation, left lateral bending, and right lateral bending. [Conclusion] These results indicate that both types of exercises are effective at improving the cervical range of motion of straight neck patients, and that the stretching exercise was more effective than the sling stabilization exercise at improving cervical spine angles.