Background: Cervical dysfunction is a common pathomechanical marker in individuals with forward head posture (FHP). To overcome the limitations of the isometric chin-tuck (ICT) exercise, dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS), which emphasizes an entire spinal chain exercise, has recently shown promising clinical results. Objects: Purpose of this study was to compare the immediate effects between ICT and DNS techniques. Methods: 43 young subjects (mean age, 24.0±5.0 years) were recruited. Group of subjects with FHP were measured under baseline, ICT, and DNS conditions. Outcome measures included sitting height, longus colli (LC) and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle thickness and LC/SCM thickness ratio. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the continuous dependent variables among FHP, ICT, and DNS conditions at p<.016. Results: Both ICT and DNS exercise conditions yielded significantly increased LC muscle thickness, LC/SCM thickness ratio and sitting height than did FHP condition (p<.0001, respectively). Sitting height was significantly greater in DNS exercise than in the ICT exercise (p<.0001). Conclusion: The present results demonstrated that sitting height was greater in the DNS exercise than in the ICT exercise, as well as both corrective postural training exercises were effective on LC/SCM muscle balance ratio when compared with the baseline FHP condition. Therefore, it is considered that DNS exercise can be the recommended exercise for people with FHP.

For spinal flexibility measurements to be meaningful to clinicians or researchers, they must have a normative information and an understanding of how different variables affect spinal range of motion (ROM). Normal spinal ROM measurements are influenced to differing degrees by many factors. These factors include age, gender, time of day, leisure activities, previous history of low back pain, warming up, and the techniques with which normative data are collected. The additional variables of standing height, ratio of standing height to sitting height, and obesity had not been previously studied extensively and were shown to have a significant effect on flexibility in the sagittal plane. These relationship cannot be explained easily. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between spinal flexibility and individual factors (weight, standing height, and ratio of standing height to sitting height) that influence it. Fifteen healthy subjects between the ages of 20 and 27 years were studied. Two physical therapists measured independently the spinal forward bending ROM in the sagittal plane by Remodified Schober test and Finger-to-floor test. In order to determine the statistical significance of the result the Pearson's correlation was applied at the .05 level of significance. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and weight. 2) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and standing height. 3) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and ratio of standing height to sitting height.