Purpose : The aim of this study was to compare the immediate effects of transfer electrode capacitive and resistive (TECAR) therapy and conventional exercise on craniovertebral angle (CVA), cranial rotation angle (CRA), pressure pain threshold (PPT), neck disability index (NDI), and muscle thickness of the deep neck flexor (DNF) and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) in adults with forward head posture.
Methods : Thirty adults with forward head posture were assigned to either the experimental group (TECAR therapy; EG) or the control group (conventional exercise; CG). The clinical outcomes included CVA, CRA, NDI, PPT of the upper trapezius (UT) and mastoid process (MP), and muscle thickness of the DNF and SCM. The EG intervention utilized high-frequency diathermy to generate heat within tissues, promoting muscle relaxation and blood circulation. This intervention was applied to the subjects' suboccipital muscles, sternocleidomastoid muscles, and upper trapezius muscles at a maximum intensity of 40 % for 14 minutes. The CG intervention was based on the principles of McKenzie exercise and supported by clinical evidence related to therapeutic exercises. The CG underwent McKenzie exercises and forward head posture exercises for 14 minutes.
Results : The clinical outcome analyses showed that both the EG and CG had significant improvements in CVA, CRA, and NDI (p< .05), but not in PPT or muscle thickness (p >.05). These results indicate that both TECAR therapy and conventional exercise were effective in improving posture and reducing neck disability in adults with forward head posture.
Conclusion : Our results provide clinical evidence that TECAR therapy and conventional exercise significantly improve forward head posture symptoms and neck disability in adults with forward head posture. Additionally, these findings highlight the therapeutic potential of TECAR therapy for forward head posture.