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Effect Of PNF Techniques Versus CCEP On Pain, Function and Quality of Life In Patients With Upper Cross Syndrome

Effect of PNF Techniques Versus Comprehensive Corrective Exercise Protocol on Pain, Function and Quality of Life in Patients With Upper Cross Syndrome

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07058272
Enrollment
38
Registered
2025-07-10
Start date
2025-05-08
Completion date
2025-07-01
Last updated
2026-05-11

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Upper Cross Syndrome

Keywords

Postural Balance, Range of Motion, Muscle Stretching Exercises, Neck Muscles

Brief summary

The study aims to determine which approach either PNF Techniques or Comprehensive Corrective Exercise Protocol provides better outcomes for pain relief, functional improvement, and quality of life in patients with upper cross syndrome.

Detailed description

Upper crossed syndrome is caused due to altered muscle activation and movement patterns of the neck, shoulders, head and back muscles. In addition to postural deviations (forward head and rounded shoulders, and an excessive curve of the thoracic spine), upper cross syndrome is characterized by abnormal posture brought on by changed muscle activation patterns and varied movement patterns. Most cases of this condition occurred in people over 20. The symptoms of upper cross syndrome managed by correcting posture, stretching and strengthening the affected muscles, and making ergonomic adjustments. It will be a Randomized Clinical Trial with sample size of 38. They will be randomly allocated into two groups by using chit and draw method. 19 participants in Group 1 will get PNF protocol while 19 participants in Group 2 get CCEP .For eight weeks, each patient will receive four sessions per week through which their neck disability index, visual analogue scale, and quality of life would measure .Data will be collected at the start of the trial, after four weeks of treatment, and again at the end of treatment. In participants with upper cross syndrome, the goal for applying a comprehensive corrective exercise program and a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation technique is to alleviate pain and improve functioning, posture, and quality of life.

Interventions

OTHERComprehensive corrective exercise protocol

Initial phase exercises include lying supine on a foam roll with the arms in 3 different abduction angles, side-lying external rotation, side-lying forward flexion, standing diagonal flexion , and military press .Initial phase lasts for 2 weeks, with exercises progressing from 7 Reps of 10-second holds to 10 Reps of 15-second hold. Improvement phase consist of exercises including side-lying external rotation with a dumbbell , side-lying forward flexion with a dumbbell , standing diagonal flexion with a dumbbell, standing external rotation with Thera-Band, standing diagonal flexion with Thera-Band, abduction while sitting on a training ball, prone lying V, T, and W exercises, and standing abduction on a balance board. The improvement phase lasts for 2 weeks, with exercises progressing from seven sets of 10-seconds hold to 10 sets of 15 secs hold. The exercises in the maintenance phase are the same as those in the improvement phase, with no increase in intensity and frequency

OTHERProprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Techniques

In this study following PNF Stretching techniques are used * Hold-relax or Contract-relax * Hold-relax with agonist contraction In the Hold-Relax or Contract-Relax technique, stretching is performed 4sessions per week for each muscle group, with each session lasting 40 min. The protocol includes a 10-sec hold phase followed by a 10-sec contraction phase, repeated for 7 reps . The total duration of this program is 8weeks including 6 weeks of treatment phase and last 2 weeks of detraining. In Hold-Relax with Agonist contract, the same procedure is followed as in Hold-Relax method, with 4sessions per week for each muscle group. The patient is asked to hold the initial stretch for 10 sec, followed by a relaxation phase. Afterward, the agonist muscle is contracted to actively move further into the stretch, which is then held for 10 sec. This protocol is performed for 7 reps per session, and the total duration of study is 8 weeks including 6 weeks of treatment program with last 2 weeks

Sponsors

Elite College of Management Sciences, Gujranwala, Pakistan
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Investigator)

Masking description

Randomization by Chit and Draw Method

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
25 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Age : 25-65 * Symptoms of upper cross syndrome appeared from maximum 6 months * Occiput to wall test positive * Patients presenting postural changes e.g: severe kyphosis

Exclusion criteria

* Any apparent misalignment in the pelvis or lower limbs. * Rotation exceeding 5 degrees during forward bending as a result of scoliosis. * Prior history of joint disorders in the spine, shoulders, and pelvis. * Body weight that falls outside the normal range (BMI between 18 and 25)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Neck Disability Index8 weeksNDI comprises 10 items. Each item is rated on a 6-point scale from 0 (no disability) to 5 (complete disability), yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 50. This score can be converted into a percentage by multiplying by 2, resulting in a range from 0% (no disability) to 100% (complete disability). Severity Classification: 0-4: No disability 5-14: Mild disability 15-24: Moderate disability 25-34: Severe disability 35-50: Complete disability
SF-12 Health Survey8 weeksThe SF-12 Health Survey is a concise, 12-item instrument derived from the SF-36, designed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) across two primary domains: physical health and mental health. It comprises 8 domains. Scores above 50 indicate better health than the average population, while scores below 50 suggest worse health. Each point difference corresponds to a 0.1 standard deviation change

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Numeric Pain Rating Scale8 weeksNumerical Pain Rating Scale, used to assess pain intensity. Patients rate their pain on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain), providing healthcare providers with a quantifiable measure to evaluate and manage pain.

Countries

Pakistan

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORUsman Iqbal Janjua

Ellite College of Managment Sciences, Gujranwala

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: May 12, 2026