Effects of neurofeedback training on the cervical movement of adults with forward head posture.
Hyun-Ju Oh, Gui-Bin Song
PMID 27821957WHAT IT FOUND
Neurofeedback training did not change head posture or neck motion.
It improved Neck Disability Index scores in people with forward head posture, so it may ease symptoms rather than correct posture.
Key findings
01Cervical posture and neck motion measures did not show significant changes after the intervention.
02The Neck Disability Index improved within the neurofeedback group and showed a between-group difference after the intervention.
03On the 0 to 50 Neck Disability Index, scores were 7.2 before and 6.7 after in the neurofeedback group, and 7.5 before and 7.7 after in the control group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample is small, with 20 participants in the neurofeedback group and 19 in the control group. The control group's four-week program is not described, so it is unclear what the comparison involved. The paper does not say whether participants or assessors were blinded. All participants were university students selected by x-ray and range-of-motion cutoffs, so the results may not apply to older or more symptomatic patients. The paper does not name a primary outcome, and posture and motion measures were null while only the Neck Disability Index changed.
Declared interests
No funding or conflict-of-interest statement is included. The neurofeedback system used was developed by Braintech Corp. in Korea.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that neurofeedback training corrects forward head posture or improves neck range of motion. The posture and motion measures showed no significant differences, and only the Neck Disability Index improved.