E-AthletesNCT06906796
The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise and Posture Exercises in E-Athletes
A study testing Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises in people with E-Athletes, run by Bahçeşehir University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
There are many studies in the literature on diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises, but there are limited studies examining the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises on posture, pain and quality of life in e-athletes. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- E-Athletes
- What is being tested?
- Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 38 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 4 Oct 2024to 18 May 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Playing e-sports games for at least 1 year
- Playing a type of game played using a computer
Who cannot join
- Having any active or chronic disease
- Having a history of injury involving the musculoskeletal system
- Having a congenital/acquired mental or physical disability that would prevent participation in the study
- Having cooperation problems
- Using sleeping pills due to sleep problems
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise and Posture Exercises on Posture, Pain and Quality of Life in E-Athletes
There are many studies in the literature on diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises, but there are limited studies examining the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises on posture, pain and quality of life in e-athletes.
The investigators aim to contribute to the literature by examining the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises on posture, pain and quality of life in e-athletes.
Read the detailed description
Electronic sports (E-sports) can be defined as a sport where individuals can play games from anywhere in the world via the internet or where people from various parts of the world play thanks to international and local organizations held at certain times. E-sports is a very popular sports field thanks to the ability to play on computer-based game systems in a globally competitive arena.
E-sports can be seen as a recreational activity outside of work hours. With its easy accessibility, area of influence and it is benefits to the individual involved, e-sports emerged as a popular recreational activity of the technology age. On the other hand, it is also considered a kind of gaming addiction. It is stated that the average gaming time is 5.2 hours per day. However, it is reported that these athletes can spend up to 14 hours per day on training or matches.
Although e-sports athletes sit at their desks for long periods during competitions, they exhibit highly coordinated movement patterns in the virtual world. The health problems seen in e-sports players are like those seen in general office workers. Musculoskeletal problems that develop due to staying in the same position for a long time can be seen in these athletes. Chronic pain that develops due to the musculoskeletal system can be shown as an example of these problems.
The increasing competitive pressure on e-sports players and the process of reaching elite performance levels can make them prone to mental health symptoms. According to research conducted on e-football players, the prevalence of mental health deterioration symptoms is high in e-football players, with 22% showing anxiety symptoms and 37% showing depression symptoms. On the other hand, e-sports players are known to have a higher prevalence of insomnia and anxiety than non-gaming participants.
Many studies have indicated that breathing exercises significantly affect both the physical and mental state of the individual. Regular practice of diaphragmatic breathing exercise leads to significant improvements in sleep quality and overall well-being, as well as reductions in respiratory rate, depression, and anxiety levels. Such exercises are deemed essential not only for the rehabilitation of patients but also for safeguarding against conditions that adversely impact the quality of life, including depression and anxiety, in healthy individuals. Scientific studies indicate that posture exercises coupled with diaphragmatic breathing exercise, positively influence pain levels and enhance quality of life.
The investigators aim to contribute to the literature by examining the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises on posture, pain and quality of life in e-athletes.
- Conditions
- E-Athletes
- Being tested
- Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises
- Keywords
- Diaphragmatic breathing exercise, Posture exercise, Pain, Posture, Quality of life
- Medical subject headings
- Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercisesOther
Diaphragmatic breathing exercise: Before starting the exercise protocol, individuals in the exercise group will be given training on diaphragmatic breathing exercises. During the exercise sessions, individuals will be advised to place one hand on their abdomen and the other on their chest while lying on their back and to increase abdominal movement by breathing slowly through the nose, thus decreasing rib cage movement. The diaphragmatic breathing exercise will be performed for 5 minutes.
Posture exercises: Individuals will be given posture exercise training before starting the exercise protocol. The smoothness of the movements will be checked throughout the exercise. Chin tuck, shoulder rotation, neck extension with exercise rubber and right-left lateral flexion, pectoral stretching with hands behind, pectoral stretching in the corner and head rib cage extension exercises will be applied as posture exercises. Each exercise will be done with 10 repetitions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Group | Experimental | The exercise group will perform diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises 3 days a week for 6 weeks. After the diaphragmatic breathing exercise is performed for 5 minutes, individuals will perform each of the posture exercises with 10 repetitions. Receives: Other: Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises |
| Control Group | No intervention | The control group will not receive any intervention. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Posture Analysis
Posture analysis of individuals will be done with New York Posture Rating Chart Test (NYPR). With this method, 13 different body parts are scored according to three different degrees of posture disorder. A score of 5 points is given if the person's posture is good,3 points if it is moderately impaired and 1 point if it is severely impaired, and the total score varies between 13 and 65. According to the standardized evaluation criteria developed for this assessment method, the result was indicated as 'very good' if the score was ≥45, 'good' if the score was between 40 and 44, 'fair' if the score was between 30 and 39, 'weak' if the score was between 20 and 29, and 'poor' if the score was ≤19. Higher scores indicate better postural condition. Items from this chart were used to analyse the posture of body parts for comparison between groups.
Measured: Baseline, 6th week
The Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
This scale was used to evaluate the pain. According to the VAS, pain severity is graded as "no pain" as 0 points and "worst pain imaginable" as 10 points (10 cm scale). VAS is a reliable and valid pain measurement method in the evaluation of pain.
Measured: Baseline, 6th week
Secondary outcomes (1)
Nottingham Health Profile
The NHP is an instrument designed to measure subjective health status containing 38 items (answered ''yes'' or ''no'') that assess subjective distress in six subgroups: physical mobility (eight items), pain (eight items), sleep (five items), emotional reactions (nine items), social isolation (five items), and energy (three items). Scores for each subgroup range from 0 (no problem) to 100 (all problems listed were present).
Measured: Baseline, 6th week
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Apr 2025
- Study start4 Oct 2024
- Primary completion19 Apr 2025
- Study completion18 May 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for E-AthletesStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Individuals who are e-athletes between the ages of 18-30 who met the inclusion criteria will be included in the study. The study's sample size is calculated as 38 and randomized to exercise group and control groups. All evaluations of the participants will be held at Istanbul Health and Technology University Faculty of Health Sciences Manual Therapy Laboratory.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 38 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Bahçeşehir University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Okan Sahin, Bahçeşehir University
- Investigators
- Okan Şahin, PT, MSc, Principal investigator, Istanbul Health and Technology University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06906796
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- EATL-2025
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 26 Mar 2025
- Last updated
- 22 May 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 22 May 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise and Posture Exercises on Posture, Pain and Quality of Life in E-Athletes
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06906796
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EATL-2025
- Conditions
- E-Athletes
- Keywords
- Diaphragmatic breathing exercise, Posture exercise, Pain, Posture, Quality of life
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 38 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Bahçeşehir UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
- Study start
- 4 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 19 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 18 May 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
There are many studies in the literature on diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises, but there are limited studies examining the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises on posture, pain and quality of life in e-athletes.
The investigators aim to contribute to the literature by examining the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises on posture, pain and quality of life in e-athletes.
Detailed description
Electronic sports (E-sports) can be defined as a sport where individuals can play games from anywhere in the world via the internet or where people from various parts of the world play thanks to international and local organizations held at certain times. E-sports is a very popular sports field thanks to the ability to play on computer-based game systems in a globally competitive arena.
E-sports can be seen as a recreational activity outside of work hours. With its easy accessibility, area of influence and it is benefits to the individual involved, e-sports emerged as a popular recreational activity of the technology age. On the other hand, it is also considered a kind of gaming addiction. It is stated that the average gaming time is 5.2 hours per day. However, it is reported that these athletes can spend up to 14 hours per day on training or matches.
Although e-sports athletes sit at their desks for long periods during competitions, they exhibit highly coordinated movement patterns in the virtual world. The health problems seen in e-sports players are like those seen in general office workers. Musculoskeletal problems that develop due to staying in the same position for a long time can be seen in these athletes. Chronic pain that develops due to the musculoskeletal system can be shown as an example of these problems.
The increasing competitive pressure on e-sports players and the process of reaching elite performance levels can make them prone to mental health symptoms. According to research conducted on e-football players, the prevalence of mental health deterioration symptoms is high in e-football players, with 22% showing anxiety symptoms and 37% showing depression symptoms. On the other hand, e-sports players are known to have a higher prevalence of insomnia and anxiety than non-gaming participants.
Many studies have indicated that breathing exercises significantly affect both the physical and mental state of the individual. Regular practice of diaphragmatic breathing exercise leads to significant improvements in sleep quality and overall well-being, as well as reductions in respiratory rate, depression, and anxiety levels. Such exercises are deemed essential not only for the rehabilitation of patients but also for safeguarding against conditions that adversely impact the quality of life, including depression and anxiety, in healthy individuals. Scientific studies indicate that posture exercises coupled with diaphragmatic breathing exercise, positively influence pain levels and enhance quality of life.
The investigators aim to contribute to the literature by examining the effects of diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises on posture, pain and quality of life in e-athletes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Individuals who are e-athletes between the ages of 18-30 who met the inclusion criteria will be included in the study. The study's sample size is calculated as 38 and randomized to exercise group and control groups. All evaluations of the participants will be held at Istanbul Health and Technology University Faculty of Health Sciences Manual Therapy Laboratory.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Group | Experimental | Other: Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercisesThe exercise group will perform diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises 3 days a week for 6 weeks. After the diaphragmatic breathing exercise is performed for 5 minutes, individuals will perform each of the posture exercises with 10 repetitions. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –The control group will not receive any intervention. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Playing e-sports games for at least 1 year
- Playing a type of game played using a computer
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Having any active or chronic disease
- Having a history of injury involving the musculoskeletal system
- Having a congenital/acquired mental or physical disability that would prevent participation in the study
- Having cooperation problems
- Using sleeping pills due to sleep problems
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercisesDiaphragmatic breathing exercise: Before starting the exercise protocol, individuals in the exercise group will be given training on diaphragmatic breathing exercises. During the exercise sessions, individuals will be advised to place one hand on their abdomen and the other on their chest while lying on their back and to increase abdominal movement by breathing slowly through the nose, thus decreasing rib cage movement. The diaphragmatic breathing exercise will be performed for 5 minutes. Posture exercises: Individuals will be given posture exercise training before starting the exercise protocol. The smoothness of the movements will be checked throughout the exercise. Chin tuck, shoulder rotation, neck extension with exercise rubber and right-left lateral flexion, pectoral stretching with hands behind, pectoral stretching in the corner and head rib cage extension exercises will be applied as posture exercises. Each exercise will be done with 10 repetitions. | Other | Exercise Group |
Primary outcome
Posture Analysis
Time frame: Baseline, 6th week
Posture analysis of individuals will be done with New York Posture Rating Chart Test (NYPR). With this method, 13 different body parts are scored according to three different degrees of posture disorder. A score of 5 points is given if the person's posture is good,3 points if it is moderately impaired and 1 point if it is severely impaired, and the total score varies between 13 and 65. According to the standardized evaluation criteria developed for this assessment method, the result was indicated as 'very good' if the score was ≥45, 'good' if the score was between 40 and 44, 'fair' if the score was between 30 and 39, 'weak' if the score was between 20 and 29, and 'poor' if the score was ≤19. Higher scores indicate better postural condition. Items from this chart were used to analyse the posture of body parts for comparison between groups.
The Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Time frame: Baseline, 6th week
This scale was used to evaluate the pain. According to the VAS, pain severity is graded as "no pain" as 0 points and "worst pain imaginable" as 10 points (10 cm scale). VAS is a reliable and valid pain measurement method in the evaluation of pain.
1 secondary outcome
Nottingham Health Profile
Time frame: Baseline, 6th week
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 22 May 2025.
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No Disease or Condition is Being Studied
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Okan Şahin, PT, MSc principal investigator
Istanbul Health and Technology University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Diaphragmatic breathing exercise and posture exercises in people with E-Athletes, run by Bahçeşehir University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 May 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Posture Analysis (time frame: Baseline, 6th week). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 May 2025.