Effects of stretching exercises for posture correction: systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, postural problems are widely discussed concerns because they involve quality of life and
interfere with the functional aspects of individuals. Thus, muscle stretching exercise is suggested as useful in treating postural deviations. Objective: To investigate the effect of muscle stretching on body posture and analyze aspects of prescription and evaluation methods in order to relate the proposed training and results. Method: This systematic review was previously registered and accepted in International Registry Of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO,
id: CRD42013005280), and described according to the recommendations of the PRISMA. The search data began with
the choice of key terms and their synonyms, according to the Descritores em Saúde (DeCS) and MeSH. After, seeking
material was performed on the major databases of scientific information (SciELO; PEDro, PubMed and Google Scholar). The studies that met the eligibility criteria underwent an evaluation as to their methodological quality based on
the Brazilian - Portuguese version of the PEDro scale. Results: It was found seven clinical trials, methodologically scored, following Pedro scale, which showed little evidence about the topic, which contain significant limitations and/or
low methodological quality. Conclusion: There are few evidence on the effectiveness of the intervention with exercise
stretching in correcting postural deviations, making it difficult to reach consensus or conclusions.