Rounded shoulder posture (RSP) causes shoulder pain and can lead to shoulder impingement and thoracic outlet syndromes, ultimately resulting in a frozen shoulder. Altered scapular positions in RSP patients affect muscle activity. Many studies have explored methods to correct and prevent RSP, including shoulder braces, muscle strengthening, stretching, and inhibition techniques. Using a shoulder brace reduces RSP and improves shoulder discomfort and function, similar to conventional rehabilitation. However, despite their effectiveness, these braces are bulky and inconvenient, which makes continuous daily wear challenging. This is especially true for women who are sensitive to their appearance. To address this issue, methods have been developed to convert women's underwear bra straps into braces. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of three underwear-mounted rounded shoulder braces and to identify the brace that is most effective in decreasing RSP and upper trapezius (UT) muscle activity and increasing lower trapezius (LT) muscle activity in patients with RSP. The study included 18 patients with an RSP. The RSP amount and UT and LT muscle activities were measured before and after three interventions. The interventions were scapular posterior tilting (SPT) exercises with the X strap, X + 8 strap, and inner brace. Compared with the baseline value, the RSP amount was significantly lower with the three braces. The RSP was significantly lower with the X + 8 strap and the inner brace than with the X strap. The inner brace showed significantly lower UT muscle activity than those with the X strap and X + 8 straps and significantly greater LT muscle activity than that with the X + 8 strap. These results show underwear-mounted braces as a potential RSP solution, but long-term sustainability and improving comfort, especially for those concerned about appearance, require further research and development.
Keywords: bra; brace; round shoulder posture.