Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Upper Cross Syndrome




More and more people are suffering from posture issues from sitting, repetitive motion stress, and lack of physical strength. A very common result is a posture characterized by rounded-forward shoulders, internally rotated arms, and a forward flexed neck. This syndrome is called Upper Cross Syndrome or Shoulder Cross Syndrome, originally by Dr. Vladimire Janda.

Upper Cross Syndrome moves joint surfaces out of proper alignment in the cervical vertebrae (neck), lumbar vertebrae (lower back), and glenohumoral joint (shoulder joint). Often, people with Upper Cross Syndrome don't tolerate basic strength exercises (such as push-ups, overhead press, and others) very well, and can often experience more pain and dysfunction in these joints. I often have to spend a lot of time on modifications or alternative, corrective exercises before a client can safely and effectively perform these basic exercises. It is a constant battle to stay out of Upper Cross Syndrome. You need an appropriate, comprehensive training plan consisting of flexibility, strengthening, and motor learning to reverse Upper Cross Syndrome.


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