Comparison of the Effects of Deep Neck Flexor Strengthening Exercises and Mackenzie Neck Exercises on Head forward Postures Due to the Use of Smartphones

In this study, experiments were conducted to compare the effects of deep neck flexor strengthening exercises and Mackenzie neck exercises on head forward postures resulting from the use of smartphones. In this study, 25 adult males and females who were students of G University, were using a smartphone for at least three hours per day, had round shoulder postures with a distance between the floor and the acromion exceeding 2.5cm in a supine position during tests, and showed 10 points or higher neck function disability indexes were selected and randomly assigned to a deep neck flexor strengthening exercise group using PBU of 12 subjects which was an experimental group or a Mackenzie neck exercise group of 13 subjects which was a control group and the exercises were performed three times per week for four weeks. When the neck disability indexes and the levels of static deep neck flexor muscle strength before and after training were compared, both the deep neck flexor strengthening exercise group using PBU and the Mackenzie neck exercise group showed significant differences (p<.05). The degrees of changes in the level of breathing, neck disability indexes and the levels of static deep neck flexor muscle strength of the two groups were compared and the results did not show any significant difference. Although no significant differences were shown when the deep neck flexor strengthening exercise group using PBU and the Mackenzie neck exercise group were compared with each other, improvement in neck disability indexes and the levels of static deep neck flexor muscle strength were shown when those before and after training were compared. Therefore, these exercises can be said to contribute to the improvement of posture control. These active exercises can be said to be important in obtaining long-term treatment effects on neck pain.