Article
The research purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of a specialized complex of corrective gymnastics in reducing the severity of myofascial pain syndrome in the cervical‑thoracic region among female students aged 18–24 who are prone to prolonged use of smartphones.
Methods and organization of the research. The study involved 20 female students in their 1st–4th years of study (age – 18-24 years, M ± SD = 20.6 ± 1.7) who regularly attended classes in the “Elective Courses in Physical Culture and Sports” discipline (twice a week) and had a high level of digital workload. The tested complex of corrective gymnastics included 4 targeted exercises aimed at decompressing the cervical segments and restoring the biomechanics of the shoulder girdle. Participants from the experimental group were recommended to perform the complex twice a day (in the morning and in the afternoon) for 28 days. The average duration of one session was 7-10 minutes. To objectively assess the participants’ condition and evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, a set of diagnostic tools was used, including objective monitoring and subjective scaling: digital load monitoring, subjective assessment of pain, and monitoring of symptom frequency.
Results and discussion. Pain intensity and the frequency of neck stiffness and headaches decreased in the experimental group (p ≤ 0.005). No statistically significant changes in these outcomes were found in the control group (p > 0.05). The observed changes are consistent with a beneficial effect of the exercise program.
Conclusion. The 28-day exercise program was accompanied by improvements in self-reported symptoms in the experimental group. The average daily screen time remained around 7 hours. These findings suggest that the program may be a promising addition to physical education classes for female students with high levels of smartphone use.
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