The effect of tactile feedback along with corrective exercises on the degree of thoracic kyphosis in hyperkyphosis individuals

Introduction: The musculoskeletal and support systems and biomechanical factors lead to tissue adaptations in the skeletal, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems, resulting in changes in the movement pattern. This study aimed to investigate the effect of tactile feedback along with corrective exercises on the degree of thoracic kyphosis in people with hyperkyphosis. Methods: Twenty patients with postural kyphosis greater than 42 were selected voluntarily and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. In the pretest and post test, the degree of kyphosis of both groups was measured using a flexible ruler. In the intervention phase, both groups performed corrective exercises for 8 weeks, 3 sessions per week, and each session for 30 to 45 min. The experimental group received tactile feedback, but the control group did not receive any feedback. Results: The results of the 2-factor analysis of variance showed that tactile feedback along with corrective exercises (D= -12%) compared to corrective exercises (D= -8%) led to a reduction in kyphosis in people with Hyperkyphosis (P= 0.018). Conclusion: It seems that tactile feedback with changes in sensory inputs can be an effective complement to corrective exercises to reduce the degree of kyphosis.