The Effect of a Selected Corrective Program on Upper Crossed Syndromein Men With Depression

Most studies have examined the effect of aerobic exercises on improving depression and performance. However, due to the importance of the relationship between corrective exercise and spine alignment, especially in depressed men, this study aimed to investigate the effect of a selected corrective program on the upper crossed syndrome in men with depression.

The present study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in Shahrekord City, Iran. To perform this research, 30 depressed people with the upper crossed syndrome were purposefully selected and divided into experimental and control groups. The Beck depression inventory was used to measure their depression. The amount of forward head and shoulder angles were determined by the photogrammetry method, and a flexible ruler was used to measure the dorsal curvature of the spine. After evaluating the variables in the pre-test, the experimental group received the selected corrective exercise program for 8 weeks, 3 days a week. During this period, the control group did not do any exercises. Finally, after executing the selected protocol, the mentioned variables were measured again in the post-test. In inferential statistics, an analysis of covariance was used to compare inter-group differences.

After performing corrective exercises, the results showed a significant difference between the groups (P<0.05). The change in the corrective exercises group was significantly greater in the angles of kyphosis (P=0.001), forward head (P=0.001), forward shoulder (P=0.001), and level of depression (P=0.001) than those in the control group.

The results revealed that 8 weeks of selected corrective exercises positively affect depression. According to the results, 8 weeks of corrective exercises can significantly reduce the angle of the head forward, round shoulder, and hyperkyphosis in depressed men with the upper crossed syndrome. So, these corrective exercises can be recommended to specialists as a treatment.