The Effect of Selected Corrective Exercises With Physioball on the Posture of Female Computer Users With Upper Crossed Syndrome

Objective Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS) is a type of musculoskeletal system involvement that results in shortening of  anterior muscles and weakening of posterior muscles. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of selected corrective exercises with physioball on the postural status of female computer users with UCS. Methods This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 24 female students with UCS who were selected using a purposive sampling method. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups of exercise (n=12) and control (n=12). The exercise group performed exercises for 6 weeks. Photogrammetry method was used to measure the angle of the forward head and round shoulder. A flexible ruler was used to measure the angle of kyphosis, and tape measure was used to measure the chest expansion. These measurements were performed before and after intervention. The collected data were analyzed using paired t-test and ANOVA at the significance level of P<0.05. Results There was a significant difference in mean values of kyphosis (P=0.001), round shoulder (P=0.001), forward head (P=0.002) and chest expansion (P=0.003) before and after exercise. Conclusion Improvement in forward head, round shoulder and thoracic kyphosis angles and chest expansion showed the effectiveness of applied exercise program. Therefore, it is recommended to use this exercise program in computer users with UCS.