ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FORWARD HEAD POSTURE, PAIN SEVERITY AND DISABILITY IN UNDER-GRADUATE PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS WITH NECK PAIN

Abstract

Background: Excessive neck flexion may lead to a forward head posture in which Craino-vertebral angle (CV angle) is decreased. Prolonged forward head posture may lead to postural impairment. Pain and disability of neck is increased with forward head posture. Objective: To find out the association of forward head posture with pain and disability in under-graduate physical therapy (PT) students. Methodology: A correlational study was conducted on n=34 male and female undergraduate PT students, with forward head posture. The n=34 participants were divided into group A having crainovertebral angle <50 with neck pain and without neck pain were assigned to group B. The Craniovertebral angle, Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire and Numeric Pain Rating Scale were used to measure head posture, pain and disability. The Pearson moment correlation was used find association among the variables. Results: The mean age of study participants was 21.1±1.87. The results showed that there is no significant association (p<0.05) in both groups, between forward head posture (CV angle) with pain and self-perceived disability due to neck pain. Conclusion: Neck pain and disability showed no association with craniovertebral angle in both groups. Keywords: Disability, neck pain, posture