Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31773477›Full record

ReviewCurrent reviews in musculoskeletal medicine2019

The Relationship Between Forward Head Posture and Neck Pain: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Nesreen Fawzy Mahmoud, Karima A Hassan, Salwa F Abdelmajeed, Ibraheem M Moustafa, Anabela G Silva

5 registry-linked trialsOpen access · bronzeAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Current reviews in musculoskeletal medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 5 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 110 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
110citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
16.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05338814 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Conventional Neck Exercise With and Without Scapular Corrective Exercises on Pain, Cervical Range of Motion and Disability in Patients With Forward Head Posture

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2021 to 2022Enrolled50ConditionsForward Head PostureArmsscapular corrective exercises, conventional neck exercises
NCT05878600 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Targeted Cervical Spine Strengthening Exercises Versus Kendall Exercises in Patients With Forward Head Posture.

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2022 to 2023Enrolled38ConditionsForward Head PostureArmskendall's exercise, cervical spine strengthening
NCT05973682 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Post Isometric Relaxation With Scapular Stabilization Exercises on Pain, Range of Motion and Disability With Levator Scapulae Syndrome

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2023 to 2024Enrolled30ConditionsUpper Cross SyndromeArmsPost-isometric relaxation and Conventional treatment, Conventional Physical Therapy
NCT06108882 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Manual Ischemic Compression With and Without Strain Counter Strain Technique on Sternocleidomastoid Tightness With Forward Head Posture

TypeinterventionalSponsorRiphah International UniversityRan2023 to 2024Enrolled42ConditionsNeck PainArmsExperimental: Manual Ischemic Compression with Strain Counter Strain technique, Active Comparator: Manual Ischemic Compression
NCT07622979 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Comparative Effects of Blackburn and Egoscue Exercises to Improve Craniovertebral Angle in Individuals With Forward Head Posture

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of FaisalabadRan2026 to 2026Enrolled28ConditionsForward Head PostureArmsGroup A (Blackburn Exercises), Group B (Egoscue Exercises)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

110 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 295 citations in OpenAlex.

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  4. Musculoskeletal Disorders Associated with Occupational Driving: A Systematic Review Spanning 2006-2021.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
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  15. A global sagittal deviation index (GSDI-5) incorporating upper cervical alignment: initial construct validation in forward head posture.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
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50 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Nesreen Fawzy MahmoudDepartment of Musculoskeletal Disorders & Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, 14531, Egypt. dr_noonfawzy@yahoo.com.
Karima A HassanDepartment of Musculoskeletal Disorders & Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, 14531, Egypt.
Salwa F AbdelmajeedDepartment of Musculoskeletal Disorders & Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, 14531, Egypt.
Ibraheem M MoustafaDepartment of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.
Anabela G SilvaSchool of Health Sciences & CINTESIS.UA, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.
Cairo University · EGUniversity of Aveiro · PTUniversity of Sharjah · AE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose of reviewForward head posture (FHP) is the most common cervical postural fault in the sagittal plane that is found with different severity levels in almost all populations. Despite claims that FHP may be related to neck pain, this relation seems to be controversial. Thus, our purpose is to determine whether FHP differs between asymptomatic subjects and those with neck pain and to investigate if there is a relationship between head posture and neck pain. RECENT

findingsA total of 15 cross-sectional studies were eligible for inclusion for this systematic review and meta-analysis. Ten studies compared FHP between a group of asymptomatic participants and a group of participants with neck pain and an overall mean difference (MD) of 4.84 (95% CI = 0.14, 9.54), indicating a significant between-group difference, contrary to adolescent (MD = - 1.05; 95% CI = - 4.23, 2.12). Eight studies showed significant negative correlations between FHP and neck pain intensity (r = - 0.55; 95% CI = - 0.69, - 0.36) as well as disability (r = - 0.42; 95% CI = - 0.54, - 0.28) in adults and older adults, while in adolescents, only lifetime prevalence and doctor visits due to neck pain were significant predictors for FHP. This systematic review found that age played an important role as a confounding factor in the relation between FHP and neck pain. Also, the results showed that adults with neck pain show increased FHP when compared to asymptomatic adults and that FHP is significantly correlated with neck pain measures in adults and older adults. No association was found between FHP and most of neck pain measures in adolescents.

Indexed as

Forward headMeta-analysisNeck painPostureSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID31773477
PMCPMC6942109
OpenAlexW2991060754

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.