Effects of Nordic Pole Walking in Adults With Forward Head Posture

NCT07840755 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2026-04-033-004
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 44
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of Nordic pole walking on pain, neck-related disability, pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, and postural alignment in adults with forward head posture and neck pain. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a Nordic pole walking group or a general walking group. Both groups will participate in a 6-week walking program, three times per week, with each session lasting 40 minutes. Neck-related disability and pain will be assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Pulmonary function will be assessed using forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and the FEV1/FVC ratio. Respiratory muscle strength will be evaluated using maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and postural alignment will be assessed using the craniovertebral angle (CVA). Measurements will be performed before and after the 6-week intervention.

Conditions

Forward Head Posture

Keywords

Nordic Pole Walking; Forward Head Posture; Neck Pain; Pulmonary Function; Respiratory Muscle Strength; Craniovertebral Angle

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for Neck Pain

  Neck pain intensity will be assessed using a 10-cm horizontal Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The left end of the line represents no pain (0), and the right end represents very severe pain (10). To minimize bias, numerical values will not be displayed on the line. Participants will mark the point that best represents their perceived pain intensity, and the distance from the left end to the marked point will be measured with a ruler. Higher scores indicate greater pain intensity.

  Baseline and 6 weeks

• Neck Disability Index (NDI)

  Neck-related disability will be assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a 10-item self-reported questionnaire. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, resulting in a raw total score ranging from 0 to 50. The raw total score will be multiplied by 2 and converted to a 0-100 scale, with higher scores indicating greater neck-related disability. The change in NDI score from baseline to 6 weeks will be evaluated.

  Baseline and 6 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)

  Baseline and 6 weeks

• Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV1)

  Baseline and 6 weeks

• FEV1/FVC Ratio

  Baseline and 6 weeks

• Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP)

  Baseline and 6 weeks

• Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP)

  Baseline and 6 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Nordic Pole Walking Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants assigned to this group will perform Nordic pole walking for 6 weeks, 3 sessions per week, with each session lasting 40 minutes.

Behavioral: Nordic Pole Walking

General Walking Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants assigned to this group will perform general walking for 6 weeks, 3 sessions per week, with each session lasting 40 minutes.

Behavioral: General Walking

Interventions

Nordic Pole Walking BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform Nordic pole walking using Nordic walking poles for 6 weeks, 3 sessions per week, with each session lasting 40 minutes. Participants will walk with coordinated upper- and lower-extremity movements while actively planting and pushing the poles during walking.

Also known as: Nordic Walking

Nordic Pole Walking Group

General Walking BEHAVIORAL

Participants will perform general walking for 6 weeks, 3 sessions per week, with each session lasting 40 minutes.

General Walking Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 20 years or older
• Craniovertebral angle (CVA) \< 50°
• Neck pain lasting at least 3 months
• Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score \> 4

You may not qualify if:

• Individuals currently participating in an exercise program related to neck pain management or postural correction
• Individuals with musculoskeletal disorders that limit the ability to perform the exercise intervention
• Individuals with respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, or pneumonia
• Individuals who have been regular smokers within the past 6 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sahmyook University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sahmyook University

Seoul, 01795, South Korea

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain

Interventions

Nordic Walking

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Walking; Locomotion; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Exercise; Motor Activity

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to either a Nordic pole walking group or a general walking group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 20, 2026
• First Posted: September 25, 2026
• Study Start: September 6, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 18, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 18, 2026
• Last Updated: September 25, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

KR (1)