Upper Cross Syndrome

We dives into UCS this week - Do you have good posture?? If you have a desk job, work on a computer, watch tv every day, search social media on your phone or are a student, then you probably do not. Our modern-day, sedentary lifestyle does not exactly match the mechanical design of our bodies. We were made for movement! Yet we spend a lot of time being sedentary.

Those that develop sedentary habits commonly acquire postural problems like Upper Cross Syndrome. UCS is a muscular imbalance pattern where the muscles in the front of the chest become overly tight and inhibit opposing muscles groups in the back from being able to do their job. More specifically, the pectoralis muscles become tight drawing the shoulders to round forward. This creates tension in the upper trapezius and levator scapulae which cause forward head tilt. Their opposing muscles, the deep neck flexors, rhomboids and lower trapezius are inhibited by the resting tension which weakens them.

Common complaints with UCS include neck pain, shoulder pain, upper back stiffness & headaches. Prolonged sitting, poor exercise technique (aero position on a bike) or training asymmetry (forgetting about leg day - every day) are all common culprits.