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NCT Number: NCT07815769

Rigid Taping's Effects on Posture and Balance in Office Workers

This study looks at whether applying a rigid tape to the upper back can immediately improve posture and balance in people who spend long hours sitting at a desk. Thirty office workers will have their head and neck position, spinal posture, and standing balance measured, then the tape will be applied to gently support the upper back and shoulders in a more upright position. The same measurements will be repeated 15 minutes later, while the tape is still in place. The tape is a flexible, skin-safe material commonly used in sports and physical therapy; it contains no medication and is not expected to cause discomfort or side effects. By comparing the measurements taken before and after taping, the researchers hope to learn whether this simple, non-invasive technique can produce an immediate improvement in head and spinal alignment and in balance control. This study looks only at short-term (acute) effects and does not test whether the benefits, if any, last beyond the taping session. The results may help patients and health care providers understand whether taping could serve as a quick, low-risk tool to support better posture during long periods of desk work.

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Key information

Conditions

Office Workers Balance Assessment Spinal Alignment

Age range

18 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Gaziantep University

Gaziantep, Şahinbey, 27000, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

Prolonged sitting and forward-leaning postures during desk-based office work are commonly associated with increased thoracic kyphosis, forward head posture, and reduced postural control. Rigid taping applied to the thoracic region has been proposed as a low-cost, non-invasive method to provide passive postural correction and proprioceptive feedback, but its immediate (acute) effects in office-working populations have not been fully characterized.

This study uses a single-group, pre-post (within-subject) design to evaluate the acute effects of rigid thoracic postural correction taping in office workers. Baseline assessments of craniovertebral alignment, sagittal spinal posture, and standing balance will be obtained, after which rigid tape will be applied by a trained examiner along a standardized pattern over the thoracic spine and shoulder girdle to passively encourage scapular retraction, thoracic extension, and reduced forward head positioning. All baseline measurements will be repeated after a 15-minute period with the tape in place, allowing evaluation of the immediate biomechanical response to the intervention.

The primary hypothesis is that rigid thoracic taping will acutely improve craniovertebral alignment and selected spinal alignment parameters, and may additionally improve dynamic balance. Findings are intended to inform whether rigid taping may serve as a practical, low-risk adjunct for immediate postural support in individuals with prolonged sedentary, desk-based occupational exposure.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • be an individual who works at least 6 hours a day at a desk
  • not having had any musculoskeletal disorders or orthopedic surgery in the last 6 months
  • not use any postural support

Exclusion criteria

  • having been diagnosed with chronic pain or postural deformity in the lower back, upper back, or neck region
  • having structural spinal disorders such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or lordosis
  • having undergone physical therapy or manual therapy within the last 3 months
  • having previously undergone rigid taping
  • pregnancy

Treatment and study plan

rigid taping

Other

igid thoracic postural correction taping applied bilaterally by a trained examiner, starting from the anterior surface of the humerus and extending to the level of T12, to passively encourage scapular retraction, thoracic extension, and reduced forward head positioning

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Craniovertebral (Tragus) Angle

    Time frame: Baseline and 15 minutes after tape application

    Craniovertebral alignment will be assessed using the tragus angle, a validated proxy for forward head posture. An increase in the tragus angle indicates a more neutral (less forward) head position.

  2. Change in Sagittal Spinal Alignment

    Time frame: Baseline and 15 minutes after tape application

    Spinal alignment will be assessed non-invasively using the SpinalMouse device in neutral standing, maximal flexion, and maximal extension postures, yielding segmental angles (sacral/hip, thoracic, lumbar, and inclination).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Static and Dynamic Postural Balance

    Time frame: Baseline and 15 minutes after tape application

    Postural balance will be assessed using a force platform (ForcePlates) system, with center-of-pressure (COP) parameters including sway area, mean velocity, and displacement in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions.

Interested in participating?

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Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Pamukkale University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Acute Effects of Rigid Taping on Spinal Alignment, Tragus Angle, Balance in Office Workers: A Spinal Mouse Assessment

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 11, 2026
Registry last updated
Sep 11, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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