Observing the effect of physical activity on forward head posture and rounded shoulder posture in young healthy adults.
Fu-Jie Kang, Kun-Ying Lin
PMID 37529060WHAT IT FOUND
Healthy young adults with low physical activity showed a more rounded shoulder posture than active peers.
However, their forward head posture was no different. Regular screening for rounded shoulders may be warranted for sedentary young adults, but head posture seems unaffected by activity levels alone.
Key findings
01The low physical activity group had a significantly lower scapular index, indicating more rounded shoulders, compared to the high activity group.
02There was no significant difference in the craniovertebral angle between the low and high physical activity groups.
STILL TO COME
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What it does not show
The sample was limited to healthy young college students, so findings may not apply to older adults or those with existing musculoskeletal conditions. Forward head posture was measured only in the standing position, not sitting, where differences might exist. The study design was cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that low physical activity causes rounded shoulders, only that they are associated. Small sample size (40 participants) limits generalizability.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that low physical activity causes forward head posture. The study found no significant difference in craniovertebral angle between active and inactive groups, meaning head posture was not associated with activity levels in this standing assessment.