HAMSTRING TIGHTNESS AND LOWER LIMB DISABILITY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH ROUNDED SHOULDER
Keywords:
Rounded Shoulder Posture; Hamstring Tightness; Lower Limb Disability; Postural DysfunctionAbstract
Background: Rounded shoulder posture is a common postural abnormality characterized by protracted shoulders, increased thoracic kyphosis, and muscular imbalance. It is often associated with prolonged sitting, poor ergonomics, repetitive work, and sedentary lifestyle. This condition may lead to a chain reaction affecting distant body segments, including hamstring tightness and lower limb dysfunction through biomechanical and myofascial connections.
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of hamstring tightness and lower limb disability in individuals with rounded shoulder posture.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Layyah, Punjab, Pakistan over a period of six months. A total of 150 participants were included using non-probability convenient sampling. Individuals aged 18–60 years with rounded shoulder posture, forward head posture, hamstring tightness, and history of neck pain were included. Active Knee Extension (AKE) was used to assess hamstring tightness, while the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) was used to evaluate lower limb disability. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 with descriptive statistics.
Results: A total number 150 participated of which 108(72%) were male and 42 (28%) were female. The mean age in the study was 34.87 and standard deviation was 9.53. The analysis revealed a strong and statistically significant positive correlation between hamstring tightness and lower extremity functional ability (r = -0.698, p = 0.001). A considerable proportion of participants reported frequent hamstring tightness (58.0%) and showed severe difficulty in the toe touch test (51.3%). The Active Knee Extension test indicated moderate restriction (mean = 2.22, SD = 0.87). Functional assessment using LEFS demonstrated minimal difficulty in low-demand activities, whereas high-demand tasks such as running and rapid directional changes were significantly impaired. Overall, the findings suggest that increased hamstring tightness is associated with reduced functional performance, particularly during physically demanding activities.
Conclusion: This study concludes that hamstring tightness is strongly and significantly associated with reduced lower limb function in individuals with rounded shoulder posture
