Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Physical Therapy - Department of Basic Science

Background: Although current lumbar stabilization exercises are beneficial for mechanical low back pain, further research is recommended focusing on normalizing global sagittal spinal alignment. Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the effects of adding cervical posture correction to lumbar stabilization exercises on mechanical low back pain. Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted. Fifty adult patients of both genders with chronic mechanical low back pain and forward head posture were assigned into one of two groups to receive three sessions/ week for 12 weeks treatment; group A: cervical posture correction and lumbar stabilization, and group B (control): lumbar stabilization. The primary outcome was back pain intensity level. Secondary outcomes included disability, craniovertebral angle, lumbopelvic alignment parameters (lumbar lordosis, sacral slope, pelvic tilt, and pelvic incidence), and sagittal lumbar intervertebral movements (translation and rotation). They were measured from lateral views X-ray. Reported data were analyzed by Two-ways-MANOVA. Results: MANOVA indicates significant effects. Pain, disability, lumbar lordosis, and sacral slope were significantly reduced in group A more than B (p< 0.05). Craniovertebral angle and pelvic tilt were increased in A more than B (p< 0.05). However, pelvic incidence and all other intervertebral movements revealed no significant differences (p>0.05). Within-group-comparisons were significant for all variables in both groups except for pelvic incidence

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