ReviewHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2023
Treatment of Upper Crossed Syndrome: A Narrative Systematic Review.
Review in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 7 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled 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.
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.
Effects of Manual Ischemic Compression With and Without Strain Counter Strain Technique on Sternocleidomastoid Tightness With Forward Head Posture
Effects of Muscle Energy Technique Versus Cervical and Scapulothoracic Stabilization Exercises on Pain, Disability and Craniovertebral Angle in Patients With Upper Crossed Syndrome
Effect of PNF Techniques Versus Comprehensive Corrective Exercise Protocol on Pain, Function and Quality of Life in Patients With Upper Cross Syndrome
Comparative Effects of Global Postural Re-education and NASM-based Corrective Exercises in Patients With Upper Cross Syndrome (UCS)
Effectiveness of Rib Mobilization Combined With Postural Correction Exercises in Individuals With Upper Crossed Syndrome
Comparative Effect of Maitland Mobilization Combined With Kendall Exercises on Pain and Postural Alignment in Adults With Upper Cross Syndrome
Comparative Effects of Kendall Versus Janda's Approach Along With Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercises on Pain, Chest Expansion, Cranio Vertebral Angle, and Disability in Upper Crossed Syndrome
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of various therapeutic exercises on forward head posture, rounded shoulder, and hyperkyphosis among people with upper crossed syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation in Individuals with Upper Crossed Syndrome Across Diverse Age Demographics: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.Current protocols · 2026Article
- Corrective exercises strongly improve posture but fail to produce consistent clinical or functional benefits in patients with upper crossed syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Review
- Upper Crossed Syndrome in the Workplace: A Narrative Review with Clinical Recommendations for Non-Pharmacologic Management.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Review
- Comparative Effectiveness of Isometric and Isotonic Exercises on Hyperkyphosis, Forward Head Posture, and Rounded Shoulders in Computer Users with Upper Crossed Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.The archives of bone and joint surgery · 2026Article
- Isometric or Isotonic Exercises in Alleviating Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain and Enhancing Quality of Life Among Computer Users with Upper Crossed Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Anesthesiology and pain medicine · 2025Article
- Effects of Pilates Training Combined with Fascial Massage on Upper Cross Syndrome in Office Workers.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Article
- Article
- Kinematic Assessment Utilizing Xsens Gait Motion Analysis in Upper Cross Syndrome: A Case Report.Cureus · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesUpper crossed syndrome (UCS) is a common musculoskeletal condition that is characterized by tightness and weakness of the muscles of the neck, shoulders, and upper back. The aim of this current study is to summarize and provide an overview of the treatment in patients with UCS. MATERIALS AND
methodsA MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane library, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science database search was conducted for English-language articles about upper crossed syndrome that were published until 19 January 2023. To identify potentially relevant articles, the following key search phrases were combined: "upper crossed syndrome", "upper cross syndrome", "diagnosis", and "treatment". A total of 233 articles were identified. After reading the titles and abstracts and assessing their eligibility based on the full-text articles, 11 articles were finally included in this review. The risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using RoB-2 and ROBINS-I for the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the non-randomized clinical trial (non-RCT), respectively.
resultsAmong eleven studies that investigated the effect of treatment programs for UCS, five studies compared the therapeutic effect of exercise programs with controls, whereas six compared different rehabilitative treatment strategies, such as the muscle energy technique, soft-tissue mobilization, and stretching exercises. In addition, regarding the study design, ten studies were RCTs and only one study was a prospective observational study.
conclusionsTreatment programs including various types of exercises and techniques to correct an abnormal posture and restore neuromuscular imbalances are effective for decreasing pain and improving neck disabilities and postural deviations in patients with UCS.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.