The effect of forward head posture on spinal curvatures in healthy subjects

Abstract

Background: Forward head posture also known as scholar’s neck is nowadays considered to be most common musculoskeletal postural imbalance causing protrusion of head anterior to trunk. It is still unclear how age-related habitual changes such as forward head posture having an influence on thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis in normal healthy adults. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of forward head posture in association with spinal curvatures in healthy subjects. In this study, we used craniovertebral angle, cranial-rotational angle, and flexicurve meter.
Materials and Methods: Hundred and eight adults (24.98 ± 5.45) participated in the study, out of which 60.15% were males and 49.07% were females. The subjects were assessed for forward head posture using the digital method lateral-side photograph of each subject; for thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis flexicurve method was used.
Result: There was decreased kyphotic index with lesser craniovertebral angle, also, statistically thoracic kyphosis was extremely significant (P = < 0.0001) in normal adults. As well as the correlation between craniovertebral angle, cranial-rotational angle, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis had shown extreme significance (P = < 0.0001) in normal adults, although the correlation between forward head posture and kyphosis was found to be insignificant with P = 0.067.
Conclusion: Thus, there is no significant correlation between forward head posture, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis in normal adults aged 18–35 years.