earticle

영어

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of sport massage and McKenzie stretch exercise on forward head posture. To understand the effect, this study measured and analyzed body alignment of the neck. Methods: In this study, a total of 14 subjects with forward head posture were analyzed. Subjects were divided into two groups: group 1 (n=7) received a McKenzie stretch exercise and group 2 (n=7) received a McKenzie stretch exercise and a sport massage. The McKenzie stretch exercise was performed three times a week, for four weeks, while the sport massage was performed once a week. The body alignment of the neck (CVA, CRA) was measured using a goniometer. Results: The improvements in neck body alignments (CVA, CRA) after the McKenzie stretch exercise and sport massage were both significant (group 1: p<0.05; group 2: p<0.05), whereas the between-group comparison found no significant differences. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study confirmed that the McKenzie stretch exercise and sport massage had a significant positive effect on the body alignment of the neck. However, a study that included a greater number of subjects and a long-term treatment period is needed to generalize these results.