POSTURAL RETRAINING EXERCISES PROTOCOL- EFFECTIVENESS ON POSTURE, NECK PAIN AND DISABILITY IN TEXT NECK SYNDROME IN COLLEGE STUDENTS: A RANDOMIZED EXPERIMENTAL TRIAL

Abstract

Background: Text Neck Syndrome (TNS) is characterized by neck pain and muscle damage as a result of a stress injury or overuse syndrome caused by prolonged and repeated staring down at mobile phones in poor posture. Text neck syndrome is physiotherapeutically treated with electrotherapy, manual therapy, isometrics to the cervical muscles, and active range of motion exercises. Postural correction and retraining exercises have been identified as the most effective methods for correcting changes in posture abnormalities and restoring function. Due to the lack of existing evidence on postural retraining methods for neck syndrome, it is mandatory to frame an absolute protocol. Aim: To determine the effects of postural retraining exercise protocol on posture, neck pain, and disability in college students with Text Neck Syndrome (TNS). Methodology: It's an experimental study involving 40 college students suffering from text neck syndrome. Convenience sampling method was used to collect a data. They were divided into two groups- Postural Retaining Exercise Protocol (PREP) Group and the Conventional Exercise Protocol (CEP) Group. Outcome measures: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Spondylometric measurement. Stastical analysis& Results: The collected data was recorded and tabulated. The statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 21.7 was used to analysis the dataThe statistical tool Chi-squared test was used for determining the homogeneity of sample in demographic variables of the two groups. Paired ‘t’ test was used to analyze the pre and post-test value of each group, unpaired ‘t’ test was used to compare pre-test values and post- test values between the two groups. Conclusion: Results of this study showed that Postural Retraining Exercise Protocol (PREP) & Conventional Exercise Protocol (CEP) group had a statistically significant difference between pre-test & post-test values of pain, disability & cervical angle.