Effects of Exercise and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Lower Trapezius Muscle Activity in Individuals with Round Shoulder Posture

Purpose:The prolonged use of digital devices has led to the widespread adoption of poor postures, particularly rounded shoulder posture (RSP), associated with shoulder impingement and pain.This study investigates the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on RSP in healthy adults.Methods: Thirty adults with RSP were randomly assigned to NMES only, exercise only, or NMES with exercise groups.NMES was applied to the lower trapezius, which was the target muscle in this study, for a total of 2 weeks, 5 times per week, 20 minutes per session.The exercise program included pectoralis minor stretching, wall-slide exercise, dynamic hug exercise with band, and Brugger stretching for upper body with band, which were performed for a total of 2 weeks, 5 times per week, 20 minutes per session.Outcome measures, including the Supine Method (SM) for posture and surface electromyography (EMG) of the lower trapezius for muscle activity, were assessed before the intervention, after 5 sessions, and after 10 sessions.Results: All the groups showed significant changes in the SM and % maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) over time (p< 0.05).The NMES group had significantly reduced SM at 1 week, while the exercise and combined groups had reduced SM at 2 weeks (p< 0.017).All the groups had increased %MVIC at 2 weeks (p< 0.017), with no significant differences observed between groups.Conclusion: NMES alone can be as effective as exercise in improving RSP.NMES combined with exercise also showed positive outcomes, thus offering diverse treatment options for this condition.