title: Acute Effects of Posture Shirts on Rounded-Shoulder and Forward-Head Posture in College Students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rounded-shoulder and forward-head posture can be contributing factors to shoulder pain. Corrective techniques such as manual therapy and exercise have been shown to improve these altered postures, but there is little evidence that corrective garments such as posture shirts can alter posture.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the acute effects of corrective postureshirt use on rounded-shoulder and forward-head posture in asymptomatic college students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated-measures intervention study with counterbalanced conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  24 members of the general student body of a university, 18-25 y old, with a forward shoulder angle (FSA) >52° and no history of upper-extremity surgery, scoliosis, active shoulder pain, or shoulder pain in the previous 3 mo that restricted participation for 3 consecutive days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Photographic posture assessment under a control condition, under a sham or treatment condition (counterbalanced), under another control condition, and treatment or sham.
  
  
  METHODS
  FSA and forward head angle (FHA) calculated from a lateral photograph.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FSA decreased relative to the control condition while participants wore the sham shirt (P = .029) but not the corrective posture shirt (P = 1.00). FHA was unchanged between groups (P = .371).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Application of a corrective posture shirt did not acutely alter FSA or FHA, while application of a sham shirt may decrease FSA at rest.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manor
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hibberd
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petschauer
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003020:Clothing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D011187:Posture; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013334:Students; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: compression; prevention; thoracic; upper extremity