The effect of a postural exercise program on muscle power in Italian high school students

Abstract

[Purpose] The present study aimed to investigate the effect of an innovative postural program (the Canali Postural Method, CPM) on muscle power in Italian high school students. It is note that deficits in posture control may, in long term, generate posture weakness as early as childhood and adolescence. Postural programs based on stretching and strengthening exercises can remove these deficits and can be framed in general physical or sport activities. [Participants and Methods] Thirty-four students completed a 8-week postural program. The intervention, consisting of stretching and muscle activation exercises, was integrated in physical education lessons. For the evaluation of the effect of CPM program, we have used the countermovement jump (CMJ), a simple and versatile test that measures muscle power. [Results] The CPM program resulted in significantly increased vertical jump height of the students. The average difference between Initial and Final CMJ was 2.1 cm. [Conclusion] This finding indicates the benefic effect of this new postural program on physical performance in the youth. Further randomized control trials should be conducted to evaluate CPM long-term implications in the prevention of posture weaknesses and its inclusion in the regular school curriculum.