The effect of holistic corrective exercise program on kyphosis degree, balance and quality of life in kyphotic adolescent

This study was planned to investigate the effect of holistic approach corrective exercise program on the degree of kyphosis, balance and quality of life in kyphotic adolescents. 62 kyphotic adolescent male individuals included in the study were divided into three groups by simple random method. A holistic approach corrective exercise program including corrective exercises and postural perception training was applied to one group. Thoracic region focused exercise program was applied to the other group. Individuals in the control group were asked to continue their activities of daily living. The programs of the exercise groups were applied three days a week, for 12 weeks, for 40-50 minutes. The kyphosis angle of all individuals participating in the study was evaluated using the flexible ruler, the Romberg index measured with balance pedobarography, and the quality of life using the Scoliosis Research Society-22 Questionnaire (SRS-22). It was determined that the groups were similar in all parameters (p>0.05), except for the tragus wall distance before the exercise training (p<0.05). In our study, a decrease in the degree of kyphosis was detected in the holistic approach corrective exercise and thoracic region-focused exercise group after 12 weeks of exercise training (p<0.001), while no change was observed in the control group (p>0.05). When the groups were compared, it was observed that the decrease in the kyphosis angle was higher in the holistic approach corrective exercise group compared to the thoracic region focused exercise group (p<0.020). While balance improved after exercise training in the holistic corrective exercise group (p=0.006), no change was observed in the thoracic region focused exercise and control groups (p>0.05). In the comparison between the groups, balance improvement was seen only in the corrective exercise group with holistic approach (p<0.001). While the quality of life increased in the holistic approach corrective exercise and thoracic region focused exercise groups after the training (p<0.001), the quality of life decreased in the control group (p=0.005). When the groups were compared, an increase in the quality of life was observed in the holistic approach corrective exercise and thoracic region focused exercise groups compared to the control group (p<0.001). The use of postural perception training together with corrective exercise programs in applications for thoracic kyphosis reveals a holistic approach and may increase the effect of the intervention. Keywords: adolescent, kyphosis, posture, exercise