Background: Studies investigating the immediate effects of a single intervention to correct forward head posture are rare. Objects: This study aimed to compare the changes in treatment effects in patients with forward head posture and neck pain after manual and self-exercise therapy over a 1-hour period. Methods: Twenty-eight participants were randomly divided into manual and self-exercise therapy groups. Following the initial evaluation, manual or self-exercise therapy was applied to each group for 30 minutes each in the prone, supine, and sitting positions. The variables measured were the craniovertebral angle (CVA), stress level, pain level, and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) stiffness. After the intervention, re-evaluation was conducted immediately, 30 minutes later, and 1 hour later. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the maintenance of treatment effects between the two groups. Results: Based on the two-way mixed ANOVA variance, there was no interaction between the groups and time for all variables, and no main effects were found between the groups. However, a significant effect of time was observed (p < 0.05). Post hoc tests using Bonferroni's correction revealed that in both groups, the CVA, pain, and stress showed significant improvements immediately after the intervention compared with before the intervention, and these treatment effects were maintained for up to 1 hour after the treatment (p < 0.0083) in the manual therapy group. However, the stress level was maintained until 30 minutes later (p < 0.0083) in the self-exercise group. There was no significant decrease in right SCM stiffness before and after the intervention; however, left SCM stiffness significantly decreased after the self-exercise intervention (p < 0.0083). Conclusion: Both manual and self-exercise therapy for 30 minutes were effective in reducing forward head posture related to the CVA, pain, and stress levels. These effects persisted for at least 30 minutes.

Background: Pilates exercises are used for body shape correction because they can achieve correct posture alignment through spinal stabilization. Objects: This study aimed to determine whether the use of reformers increases the effectiveness of Pilates core exercises on body alignment in standing. Methods: The study included 30 women without known diagnoses of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders or cancer. Those who had taken more than 10 Pilates lessons were excluded. The participants were randomly assigned to either the reformer exercise group or the mat exercise group, and interventional Pilates exercises were performed for 60 minutes a day, three times a week, for a total of 8 weeks. Ten movements of the reformer and mat Pilates core exercise programs were included. Exbody® 9100 MOMI musculoskeletal analysis equipment (Exbody Inc.) was used to assess the alignment of the standing posture in the frontal plane. Results: As a result of comparing the differences within and between the groups before and after the intervention using the two-way mixed analysis of variance test, height differences in the head, pelvis, left and right, shoulders, scapulas, knees, and ankles in the frontal plane after the intervention were found in both groups. For example, the left-right symmetry of the body alignment in the standing posture was significantly improved within each group (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Both the reformer and mat Pilates core exercises were effective for standing posture alignment, which has clinical significance. If an exercise program is developed based on the analysis of movements necessary for posture improvement and the target muscles to be strengthened, the same effect can be achieved only with mat exercise without using the reformer equipment at the beginner stage.