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Can special exercises outperform education for posture pain?

NCT ID NCT07773857

Symptom relief Sponsor: Atlas University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 19, 2026 · Last updated Sep 01, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study tests whether a specific exercise technique called Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) can improve pain, posture, and muscle strength in people with upper crossed syndrome—a condition marked by forward head and rounded shoulders. Half the participants will do PNF exercises plus receive educational materials, while the other half will only get the education. Researchers will measure changes in posture, pain, and strength before and after the four-week program to see which approach works better.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) exercises and patient education
What this could lead to
If effective, PNF exercises could offer a better way to reduce pain and improve posture in people with upper crossed syndrome, potentially guiding physiotherapy practices.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial with only 38 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The outcomes depend on self-reported measures and manual assessments, which can vary.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

38 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Mar 2026

Finished

Jul 2026

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older * Clinically diagnosed with Upper Crossed Syndrome and referred by a specialist physician (e.g., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Orthopedics) * Upper Crossed Syndrome diagnosis confirmed at baseline based on postural characteristics (e.g., forward head posture, rounded shoulders, thoracic kyphosis etc.) * Willingness to participate in the study and provision of written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * History of spinal surgery or spinal fracture * Presence of structural spinal deformities (e.g., structural kyphosis or scoliosis) * Presence of neuromuscular diseases affecting the spine or upper quadrant * Presence of congenital or acquired severe structural spinal anomalies * Any medical condition that contraindicates participation in exercise programs * History of severe psychiatric disorders * History of chronic pain in the cervical or lumbopelvic regions * History of postural control disorders * Any condition expected to prevent regular participation or adherence during the study period.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Kyphosis oculocerebral hypopigmentation syndrome of Preus Scheuermann disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Forward head posture Hyperkyphosis Kyphosis Rounded shoulder posture Upper crossed syndrome

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Istanbul Atlas University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

    Istanbul, Istanbul, 34408, Turkey (Türkiye)

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