Table 3.
Intervention Procedures.
| Authors | Intervention | Experimental (E) Procedures | Intervention frequency & duration | supervision | Control/comparator (C) procedures | Follow-up period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abd-Eltwab & Ameer, 2021[22] | E: General active exercise C: TheraBand exercises | General active exercise: Thoracic stretching, thoracic extension, extension in lying with cervical retraction exercise 15 sec hold, 15 sec rest, 10 sets, 2 min rest between exercises | 60 min session 3 days a week 4 weeks | Not stated | TheraBand exercises: neck retraction, scapular retraction, resistive shoulder blade squeeze 15 sec hold, 15 sec rest, 10 sets, 2 min rest between exercises | Immediately following intervention |
| Almasoodi, Mahdavinejad & Ghasmi, 2020[23] | E: NASM exercises C: Traditional Exercise | NASM exercises: Self-myofascial release (1-3 sets, 30 sec), stretching (1-3 sets, 7-10 isometric contractions, 30 sec hold), isolated strengthening (1-2 sets, 10-15 reps, 2:4 ratio), dynamic movements (1-2 sets, 10-15 reps, 30 sec rest) | 3 days a week 8 weeks (Session duration not stated) | Not stated | Traditional: Stretching (30 sec hold add 5 sec. every 2 weeks) stabilization exercises (6 reps, 2 sec. hold -> 10 reps 10 sec. hold) and strengthening (3 reps of 12 at 40% 10RM increase by 10% every 2 weeks) | Immediately following intervention |
| Azizi et al., 2012[18] | E: Land exercise C: Water exercises | Land: Stretching (stretch anterior chest, 10-15 sec. hold, 15 sets), strengthening (weakened back muscles 10-15 sec. hold, 5-10 sets) | 10 minutes of exercises 8 weeks | Not stated | In water: Same as on land | Immediately following intervention |
| Jabbar & Gandomi, 2021[20] | E: NASM Exercise C: Sahrmann corrective exercise | NASM exercises: Self-myofascial release (1-3 sets, 30 sec), stretching (1-3 sets, 7-10 isometric contractions, 30 sec hold), isolated strengthening (1-2 sets, 10-15 reps, 2:4 ratio), dynamic movements (1-2 sets, 10-15 reps, 30 sec rest) | 60 min sessions 3 days a week 8 weeks | Physiotherapist and 2 exercise specialists | Sahrmann corrective exercise: deep neck flexor strengthening (3 sets, 15 reps), prone trunk lift, side lying thoracic rotation, quad arm/leg lift, side lying hip abduction (60 sec. hold, 10 reps progress to 12 reps) | Immediately following intervention |
| Jang et al., 2019[21] | E: Thoracic correction exercise (supervised) C: Thoracic correction exercise (at home) | Thoracic correction exercises: facilitate diaphragmatic (3 sets of 7 reps) breathing, thoracic mobility (10 reps, 10 sec hold), thoracic stability (10 reps, 10 sec holds), and awareness of thoracic alignment (3 min holds) | 60 min sessions 2 days a week 8 weeks | Physical therapist and senior exercise specialist | Same exercises but at home prescribed via a booklet | Immediately following intervention and 8 weeks post |
| Kamali et al., 2016[5] | E: Stretching and strengthening exercises C: Manual Therapy | Stretching of pectoralis major, extensor muscles, and latissimus dorsi, (15 sec holds, 10 sets) and strengthening of anterior neck flexors and back extensor muscles (15 sec hold, 10 sets) | 20-30 min sessions 15 sessions over 5 weeks | Physiotherapist at home 1 per week, phone 2 per week | Manual therapy (Muscle energy, myofascial release, mobs) | Immediately following intervention |
| Karimian et al., 2019[28] | E: NASM exercise C: Control | NASM exercises: Self-myofascial release (1-3 sets, 30 sec), stretching (1-3 sets, 7-10 isometric contractions, 30 sec hold), isolated strengthening (1-2 sets, 10-15 reps, 2:4 ratio), dynamic movements (1-2 sets, 10-15 reps, 30 sec rest) | 45-60 min sessions 3 days a week 12 weeks | Not stated | Control procedures not stated | Immediately following intervention |
| Katzman et al., 2017[8] | E: Group multimodal exercise C: Waitlist Control | Group multimodal exercise – Strengthening (3 sets of 8 reps), ROM exercises (30 sec hold, 1-3 reps) and posture training & practice neutral spine 3 times a day | 1-hour sessions 2 days a week 12 weeks | Physical therapist and trained assistant | Waitlist control - given the intervention 3 months after the intervention group | Immediately following intervention And 6 months follow-up |
| Katzman et al., 2021[17] | E: Group multimodal exercise follow-up Katzman et al. (A) 2017 | Group multimodal exercise – Strengthening (3 sets of 8 reps), ROM exercises (30 sec hold, 1-3 reps) and posture training & practice neutral spine 3 times a day | 1-hour sessions 2 days a week 12 weeks | Physical therapist and trained assistant | N/A | 2-3 years post intervention |
| Katzman et al., 2007[27] | E: Group multimodal exercise | Group multimodal exercise – Strengthening (3 sets of 8 reps), ROM exercises (30 sec hold, 1-3 reps) and posture training & practice neutral spine 3 times a day | 2 days a week 12 weeks (Session duration not stated) | Not stated | N/A | Immediately following intervention |
| Pawlowsky, Hamel & Katzman, 2009[16] | E: Group multimodal exercise – Follow-up from Katzman 2007 | Group multimodal exercise – Strengthening (3 sets of 8 reps), ROM exercises (30 sec hold, 1-3 reps) and posture training & practice neutral spine 3 times a day | 2 days a week 12 weeks (Session duration not stated) | Not stated | N/A | 1 year following intervention |
| Katzman et al., 2017[7] | E: Group multimodal exercise Control: Health education | Group multimodal exercise – Strengthening (3 sets of 8 reps), ROM exercises (30 sec hold, 1-3 reps) and posture training & practice neutral spine 3 times a day | 1-hour sessions 3 days a week 6 months | Physical therapist and trained assistant | Control health education- were given 1:1 instruction after the 6 months on exercise protocol with videos and handouts | Immediately following intervention |
| Mousavi et al., 2019[24] | E: Strengthening and stretching C1: MFR/CE C2: Control | Corrective exercise - vertebral column strengthening (8-10 reps, 1-2 sets), motility enhancement (10 reps, 1 set) and alignment enhancement (30 sec hold, 1-2 sets) | 1 hour session 3 days a week 8 weeks | Not stated | C1: Corrective exercises with myofascial release C2: Control group – normal daily activity | Immediately following intervention & 4 weeks post |
| Park & Choung, 2020[25] | E: Self stretching C1: MET C2: Control | Self-stretching: standing stretch of pectoralis major – 10 sec. hold 10 reps, 3 sets with 30 sec. rest | 12 min session (Frequency and duration not stated) | Not Stated | C1: MET: resisting manual retraction in supine Control: sit for 12 min. with knee and hips flexed to 90 | Immediately following intervention |
| Park, Kim & Kim, 2020[26] | E: Thoracic extn and trunk strengthening exercises C1: Mobilizations C2: E & C1 | Exercise: improve thoracic extension, trunk strength & flexibility, foam roll stretch, march on roll, thoracic extension on the wall, standing neck/chest stretch (10 reps, 2 sets) | 15 min sessions 3 days a week 4 weeks | Single therapist | C1: Mobilization: grade III on thoracic spine 30 reps 4 sets C2: Combination of mobilization and exercises (2 sets of mob, 1 set exercises) | Immediately following intervention |
| Seidi et al., 2014[30] | E: LCEP C1: CCEP C2: Control | LCEP: stretch pectoral muscles and strengthen back extensor muscles - stretching, self-mobs, strengthening (reps and sets set to the individual using overload principle) | 3 days a week 12 weeks (Session duration not stated) | Examiners | CCEP: correction of abnormalities as a chain reaction, chin tuck and adduct scapulae and erect thoracic spine. Control group: not stated | Immediately following intervention |
| Tarasi et al., 2019[29] | E: Spine strengthening, mobility and alignment C: Normal routine | Exercise: spine strengthening (8 reps, 2 sets), spinal alignment (10 reps, 1 set) and spinal mobility (1 set 30 sec. hold) | 60 min session 3 days a week 12 weeks | Examiner and collaborators (1:5) | Normal daily routine | Immediately following intervention |
| Yoo, 2013[19] | Session 1: Stretching Session 2: Thoracic extn Session 3: Cervical and scapular | Session 1: thoracic stretching, Session 2: thoracic extn, Session 3: muscle exercise for cervical and scapular posture 5 sets, 30 reps | Once daily Each of the 3 sessions lasted 10 days | Not stated | N/A | Immediately following every session |
Abbreviations: E: Exercise, C: Control/Comparator. Extn: Extension, Sec.: Seconds, Reps: Repetitions, Min.: Minutes, RM: Repetitions Maximum, NASM: National Academy of Sports Medicine, ROM: Range of motion, Mobs.: Mobilisations, MFR/CE: Myofascial release and correction exercise, MET: Muscle Energy Technique, LCEP: Local corrective exercise program, CCEP: Comprehensive corrective exercise program.