Kendall Versus Janda's Approach Along With Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises in Upper Crossed Syndrome

NCT07724574 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: REC/RCR & AHS/25/0134 Kinza
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS) is a postural imbalance in the upper body characterized by shortened and tight muscles in the front and upper back, while weak muscles in the back and neck are stretched and underactive. This imbalance can lead to forward head posture, rounded shoulders, and increased spinal curves, causing pain, headaches, and reduced range of motion. The study aims to compare the effects of Kendall exercises with Janda's Approach along with Diaphragmatic breathing exercises on pain, chest expansion, craniovertebral angle, and disability in upper crossed syndrome.

Conditions

Upper Cross Syndrome

Keywords

upper crossed syndrome; breathing; disability

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• NUMERIC PAIN RATE SCALE (NPRS) for pain

  It is a self-reported scale that measures pain intensity on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain). It is widely used in musculoskeletal conditions for monitoring pain levels over time. The NPRS has demonstrated high validity (r = 0.85 with VAS) and excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92-0.96). The MCID for NPRS is generally considered to be 2 points, indicating a meaningful improvement or worsening in pain perception

  upto 6 weeks

• NECK DISABILITY INDEX (NDI)

  It is a validated questionnaire consisting of 10 items that assess the functional impact of neck pain on daily activities such as personal care, work, driving, and recreation. It is specific to cervical conditions. The NDI has strong content validity, with excellent internal consistency (α = 0.87) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.89). The MCID for NDI has been reported to range from 5 to 7 points, representing a clinically important change in neck-related disability

  upto 6 weeks

• UNIVERSAL GONIOMETER for ROM

  It is used to measure the craniovertebral angle (CVA), an objective indicator of forward head posture in individuals. A CVA less than 50° typically indicates abnormal posture. This tool shows good validity and excellent intra-rater reliability (ICC = 0.80-0.98) for cervical spine angle measurements. While an exact MCID for CVA is not firmly established, a change of 3-5 degrees is often considered clinically meaningful in postural correction studies

  Upto 6 weeks

• MEASURING TAPE

  t is a simple and cost-effective tool used to assess chest expansion, which reflects thoracic mobility and respiratory function. The measurement is taken by placing the tape around the chest at the level of the fourth intercostal space during full inhalation and exhalation. It has acceptable criterion validity and demonstrates high intra-rater reliability (ICC = 0.91-0.94), making it suitable for tracking changes in chest mobility during postural or breathing interventions. The MCID for chest expansion is not universally defined, but an increase of 0.5 to 1.0 cm is generally considered clinically relevant in pulmonary and postural rehabilitation contexts

  Upto 6 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Kendall exercises

EXPERIMENTAL

Kendall exercisesare a set of physical therapy movements designed to correct postural faults like Forward Head Posture (FHP), kyphosis, and rounded shoulders. They focus on correcting muscle imbalances through targeted stretching and strengthening.

Other: Kendall exercises

Janda's Approach

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Janda's approach is a functional rehabilitation method focusing on how the central nervous system controls muscles and movement. It emphasizes correcting muscle imbalances-where some muscles are overly tight and others are weak or inhibited-to alleviate chronic pain

Other: Janda's Approach

Interventions

Kendall exercises OTHER

Stretching: Pectoralis, Upper Trapezius, Levator Scapulae (2 sets of 20 sec each) Strengthening: Scapular retractors with Thera band (2 sets of10 reps), Chin tucks (2 sets of 10 reps), Diaphragmatic breathing (4 mins) Strengthening: Add isometric cervical flexors (5 sec hold with 5 reps),, Chin tucks \& scapular retractors (3 sets of 10 reps) Strengthening: Add scapular squeeze (5 sec hold of 5 reps), Emphasize postural control during exercises Strengthening: Functional posture tasks (e.g., seated posture with resistance), Maintain 15 reps of 3 sets Anterior (Wall Slides), Deep Neck Flexors - 2 sets of 10 reps Diaphragmatic breathing (4 mins), Neck Flexor Hold: 30 sec × 3 sets Add Dumbbell Shrugs, Table Pushes - 3 sets of 10 reps Add Serratus Anterior Upper Cuts (3 sets of 10 reps) strengthening increased to 12-15 reps per set (all muscle groups). Functional integration: Posture tasks during daily movement

Kendall exercises

Janda's Approach OTHER

Stretching: Levator scapulae, Upper Trapezius, Pectoralis (doorway/towel) - 2 sets × 30 sec each, Strengthening: Middle \& Lower Trapezius, Serratus Anterior (Wall Slides), Deep Neck Flexors - 2 sets × 10 reps, Diaphragmatic breathing (4 mins) Neck Flexor Hold: 30 sec × 3 sets Add Dumbbell Shrugs, Table Pushes 3 sets × 10 reps Add Serratus Anterior Upper Cuts (3 sets × 10 reps) strengthening increased to 12-15 reps per set (all muscle groups). Maintain 3 sets of stretching. Functional integration: Posture tasks during daily movement (e.g., reaching, sitting)

Janda's Approach

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 30 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age between 30 to 50 years old Both male and female are included, Craniovertebral angle less than 50°, Rounded shoulders (on photogrammetry)

You may not qualify if:

• Cervical trauma or surgery Congenital scoliosis Spasmodic torticollis Any tumor or trauma History of surgical procedures on neck or lower back Disc issues in neck or lower back

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Riphah International University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Anwars Polyclinic

Sialkot, Punjab Province, Pakistan

RECRUITING

Related Publications (10)

• Aneis YM, El-Badrawy NM, El-Ganainy AA, Atta HK. The effectiveness of a multimodal approach in the treatment of patients with upper crossed syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2022 Oct;32:130-136. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2022.05.011. Epub 2022 May 18.

  PMID: 36180139 BACKGROUND

• Chang MC, Choo YJ, Hong K, Boudier-Reveret M, Yang S. Treatment of Upper Crossed Syndrome: A Narrative Systematic Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Aug 17;11(16):2328. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11162328.

  PMID: 37628525 BACKGROUND

• Mujawar JC, Sagar JH. Prevalence of Upper Cross Syndrome in Laundry Workers. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2019 Jan-Apr;23(1):54-56. doi: 10.4103/ijoem.IJOEM_169_18.

  PMID: 31040591 BACKGROUND

• Mubashir M. A cross-sectional survey on prevalence of upper cross syndrome and its correlation to WRMSDS in working physiotherapists. Pakistan Journal of Rehabilitation. 2021;10(1):42-50.

  BACKGROUND

• Yang S, Boudier-Reveret M, Yi YG, Hong KY, Chang MC. Treatment of Chronic Neck Pain in Patients with Forward Head Posture: A Systematic Narrative Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Sep 22;11(19):2604. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11192604.

  PMID: 37830641 BACKGROUND

• Joshi R, Poojary N. The Effect of Muscle Energy Technique and Posture Correction Exercises on Pain and Function in Patients with Non-specific Chronic Neck Pain Having Forward Head Posture-a Randomized Controlled Trail. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2022 Jun 1;15(2):14-21. doi: 10.3822/ijtmb.v15i2.673. eCollection 2022 Jun.

  PMID: 35686175 BACKGROUND

• Oakley PA, Moustafa IM, Haas JW, Betz JW, Harrison DE. Two Methods of Forward Head Posture Assessment: Radiography vs. Posture and Their Clinical Comparison. J Clin Med. 2024 Apr 8;13(7):2149. doi: 10.3390/jcm13072149.

  PMID: 38610914 BACKGROUND

• Mol N, Abeeshna A, Kumar D. Upper crossed syndrome: trends and recent advances in the physiotherapy treatment a narrative review. J Pharm Res Int. 2021;33(64B):359-67

  BACKGROUND

• Yu L, Gu Q, Kim T. The effects of cervical stabilization exercises with breathing exercises on respiratory function in subjects with forward head posture. WSEAS Transactions on Systems and Control. 2021;16:486-92.

  BACKGROUND

• Koo D-J, Park S-C, Park J-Y, Jung J-W, Kwon H-G. Effect of Breathing TechniqueBased Exercises on Alignment and Mechanical Properties of Muscles Related to Upper Cross Syndrome. Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine. 2024;19(4):21-33

  BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Oculocerebral hypopigmentation syndrome type Preus; Respiratory Aspiration

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Respiration Disorders; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Amna Zia, PhD*

  King Edward Medical University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Kinza Saif

  Riphah International University, Lahore

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Amna Zia, PhD*

CONTACT

03244686993; amna.zia@kemu.edu.pk

Samrood Akram, PhD*

CONTACT

03324806143; samrood.akram@riphah.edu.pk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 21, 2026
• First Posted: July 24, 2026
• Study Start: June 20, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 20, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 20, 2026
• Last Updated: July 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)