The Effect of Exergames on the Static Balance of Children with Forward Head Posture

Introduction: Forward head posture is one of the most common postural abnormalities among students, which affects their postural control (balance). Although there is a trend toward using exergames to improve balance, the effectiveness of exergames specifically designed to improve balance in students with forward head posture is unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of exergames on the static balance of children with forward head posture. ‌‌Methods: In this quasi-experimental study carried out using a pre-test, post-test, and a control group design, 30 boys with forward head posture in Takestan City with an age range of 7 to 12 years old were purposively selected and assigned to two groups, namely the Exergames and the Control groups. In the pre-test phase, the participants performed three attempts of the Stork test (static balance). The intervention phase was carried out over eight weeks with two sessions per week,each session lasting 30 minutes, during which the participants performed the relevant exercises. Following the training phase, the post-test phase was conducted, where the participants performed the static balance test as in the pre-test phase. The data were analyzed by univariate analysis of covariance.Results: The results showed that exergames significantly improved the static balance of children with forward head posture (F=22.94, P=0.001).Conclusion: In general, the results of the present study highlight the importance of exergames in the static balance of children with head forward posture, and it is recommended that the benefits of these exercises should be used to improve static balance.