Whats the most common posture I see in the office, or even at a bus stop?
Sit up before reading :)
Upper Cross Syndrome is one of the most common aberrent postures we see from day to day and it is defined by a muscular imbalance of the muscles of your upper torso and neck. These muscles either are tight and overactive or weak and underactive.
The weak muscles generally include:
- Deep Neck Flexors
- Lower Trapezius
- Rhomboids
- Serratus Anterior
Tight muscles generally include:
- Pec Major and Minor
- Sterocleidomastoid
- Levator Scapula
- Upper Trapezius
- Infraspinatus
When this posture is sustained, whether it be at the computer, on your phone, reading a book or even driving, we undergo something called adaptive shortening of the muscles. The muscles now become fixed 'short' or tight because that's the position they get used to. The longer you adopted this posture the more fixed it becomes.
As a consequence, this posture will affect your mobility and can accelerate injuries, especially those involving the shoulders and neck!
If you have any questions throw them in the comments, I'm happy to help :)
Angelo Campanella