Int J Environ Res Public Health 2026 (Jan 19); 23 (1): 120

Table 2.

Physiotherapeutic strategies for UCS.

Authors/Date	Treatment Recommendations
Chang et al., 2023 [4]	Posture correction, cervical or scapular stabilization, activation/strengthening of inhibited muscles (deep neck flexors), the muscle energy technique, and stretching of shortened muscles (scalenes, upper trapezius, and levator scapulae)
Chaudhuri et al., 2023 [14]	Instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization and myofascial release
Chen et al., 2024 [15]	Scapular correction and stability exercises, elastic-band therapy, cervical stabilization, and postural correction
Fernandes et al., 2025 [17]	Global postural education and cervical-specific therapeutic exercises for addressing neck pain in persons with UCS
Guo et al., 2025 [19]	Postural assessment followed by “Daoyin” training that mimics the movements and postures of natural animals including turtles, swans, rocs (mythical birds of prey), and tigers to correct for forward head posture and rounded shoulders
Kaur et al., 2025 [22]	Kendall exercises, comprehensive corrective exercises, stretching, strengthening, cervical segmental mobilization, McKenzie traction, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization
Moi et al., 2021 [24]	Stretching, strengthening, myofascial release, neuromuscular re-education, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)
Panagiotopoulos & Crowther, 2019 [6]	Scapular orientation exercise, education regarding neutral spine position, re-engagement of paraspinal-stabilizing muscles, and open-chain and closed-kinetic-chain exercises
Pathan et al., 2022 [28]	Postural evaluation, muscle length testing, muscle strength evaluation, and corrective exercise
Seidi et al., 2020 [30]	Comprehensive Control Exercise Program (CCEP), a program with a multifaceted focus on muscle activation, movement patterns, and postural alignment
Sepehri et al., 2024 [31]	To address forward head posture, exercises focused on stretching shortened neck muscles (SCM, levator scapulae, scalenes, and pectoralis major), and strengthening deep neck flexor muscles (longus colli, longus capitus, and anterior scalenes).
Takeno et al., 2019 [32]	Elastic and rigid taping, thoracic spine manipulation, scapular mobilization, and strengthening exercises
Tang et al., 2024 [33]	Pectoralis minor stretching; serratus anterior, middle and lower trapezius strengthening; teres major strengthening; rhomboid strengthening; upper trapezius and levator scapulae stretching. Scapular stabilization exercises utilizing elastic bands and dumbbells for resistance.
Turgut et al., 2017 [34]	Shoulder girdle stretching and strengthening based on a kinetic-chain approach. Scapular stabilization exercises included wall slides with squats, wall push-ups, resisted scapular retraction, lawnmower with diagonal squats, and resistance exercises with graded elastic bands. Stretching included the pectoralis minor, levator scapulae, and latissimus dorsi.
Yaghoubitajani et al., 2022 [36]	Workplace exercises focus on scapular retraction, arms in the T and W shapes, and overhead arm exercises. Online exercises are standing and seated, scapular retraction and depression, external rotation, and arms in the T and W positions with TheraBand™ for added resistance.