Forward Head PostureNCT07317999
Effect of Scapular Retraction Exercises Versus McKenzie Method on CVA
A study testing Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE) and McKenzie Method Exercises in people with Forward Head Posture and Craniovertebral Angle, run by Mansoura University at 1 site in Egypt.
Trial summary
The goal of this quasi-experimental study is to compare the effectiveness of scapular retraction exercises versus the McKenzie method in improving craniovertebral angle (CVA), reducing neck pain, and minimizing neck disability among university students exhibiting forward head posture. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 17 to 23 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Forward Head Posture, Craniovertebral Angle, Neck Disability
- What is being tested?
- Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE) and McKenzie Method Exercises
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 116 participants
- Where
- 1 siteEgypt
- Study dates
- 1 Oct 2024to 7 Feb 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 17 to 23 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- University students with FHP
- Able to participate in exercise programs
- Free from severe musculoskeletal disorders or recent injuries
Who cannot join
- Students with contraindication to exercise,
- Individuals with neurological conditions affecting posture
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Craniovertebral Angle and Neck Disability Among University Students With Forward Head Posture: A Comparative Study of Scapular Retraction Exercises Versus McKenzie Method
The goal of this quasi-experimental study is to compare the effectiveness of scapular retraction exercises versus the McKenzie method in improving craniovertebral angle (CVA), reducing neck pain, and minimizing neck disability among university students exhibiting forward head posture. The main question[s] it aims to answer [is/are]:
- Which of both exercises (scapular retraction or McKenzie method exercises) will be more effective in improvement craniovertebral alignment, alleviated pain, and decreased neck disability?
Group A performed scapular retraction exercises, while Group B practiced McKenzie method exercises. Both interventions were administered for 20 minutes, three times weekly over eight weeks.
- Conditions
- Forward Head Posture, Craniovertebral Angle, Neck Disability
- Being tested
- Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE), McKenzie Method Exercises
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE)Procedure or surgery
Strengthen upper back muscles (scapular muscles, particularly the middle and lower trapezius and rhomboids) and improve posture.
McKenzie Method ExercisesProcedure or surgery
- Aim: Focus on self-treatment for neck pain and posture.
- Duration: 20 minutes, 3 times a week
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Experimental | scapular retraction exercises Receives: Procedure: Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE) |
| 2 | Experimental | McKenzie method exercises Receives: Procedure: McKenzie Method Exercises |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Craniovertebral Angle (CVA)
The angle is formed at the intersection of a horizontal line passing through the C7 spinous process and a line joining the midpoint of the tragus of the ear to the skin overlying the C7 spinous process.
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Jan 2026
- Study start1 Oct 2024
- Primary completion12 Dec 2024
- Study completion7 Feb 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Forward Head PostureStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Mansoura UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 116 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mansoura University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Heba Abubakr Mohamed Salama, Mansoura University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07317999
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Forward Head Posture 0686
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 19 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 6 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Salama HA, Alshawish E, Elwasefy SA, Elsherbiny OE. Craniovertebral angle and neck disability among university students with forward head posture: a comparative study of scapular retraction exercises versus McKenzie method. Sci Rep. 2026 May 14;16(1):22096. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-52224-0.
PubMed 42135384
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Craniovertebral Angle and Neck Disability Among University Students With Forward Head Posture: A Comparative Study of Scapular Retraction Exercises Versus McKenzie Method
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07317999
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Forward Head Posture 0686
- Conditions
- Forward Head Posture, Craniovertebral Angle, Neck Disability
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 116 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Mansoura UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 12 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 7 Feb 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Jan 2026 (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.
The goal of this quasi-experimental study is to compare the effectiveness of scapular retraction exercises versus the McKenzie method in improving craniovertebral angle (CVA), reducing neck pain, and minimizing neck disability among university students exhibiting forward head posture. The main question[s] it aims to answer [is/are]:
- Which of both exercises (scapular retraction or McKenzie method exercises) will be more effective in improvement craniovertebral alignment, alleviated pain, and decreased neck disability?
Group A performed scapular retraction exercises, while Group B practiced McKenzie method exercises. Both interventions were administered for 20 minutes, three times weekly over eight weeks.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Experimental | Procedure: Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE)scapular retraction exercises |
| 2 | Experimental | Procedure: McKenzie Method ExercisesMcKenzie method exercises |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 17 to 23 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- University students with FHP
- Able to participate in exercise programs
- Free from severe musculoskeletal disorders or recent injuries
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Students with contraindication to exercise,
- Individuals with neurological conditions affecting posture
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE)Strengthen upper back muscles (scapular muscles, particularly the middle and lower trapezius and rhomboids) and improve posture. | Procedure or surgery | 1 |
| McKenzie Method Exercises* Aim: Focus on self-treatment for neck pain and posture. * Duration: 20 minutes, 3 times a week | Procedure or surgery | 2 |
Primary outcome
Craniovertebral Angle (CVA)
Time frame: 8 weeks
The angle is formed at the intersection of a horizontal line passing through the C7 spinous process and a line joining the midpoint of the tragus of the ear to the skin overlying the C7 spinous process.
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 6 Jan 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42135384Salama HA, Alshawish E, Elwasefy SA, Elsherbiny OE. Craniovertebral angle and neck disability among university students with forward head posture: a comparative study of scapular retraction exercises versus McKenzie method. Sci Rep. 2026 May 14;16(1):22096. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-52224-0.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Scapular Retraction Exercises (SRE) and McKenzie Method Exercises in people with Forward Head Posture and Craniovertebral Angle, run by Mansoura University at 1 site in Egypt.
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 3 inclusion and 2 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 6 Jan 2026. 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 Egypt. 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?
Craniovertebral Angle (CVA) (time frame: 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07317999, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 6 Jan 2026.