When there’s an X-shaped pattern of tension around the neck and shoulders, it’s known as Upper Cross Syndrome. Like Lower Cross Syndrome, this causes a change in posture and can lead to aches and pains.
Symptoms of Upper Cross Syndrome
This syndrome is associated with a hunched posture, as illustrated above. The head and shoulders come forwards, and the upper back becomes more kyphotic. This is both caused by, and leads to, the pattern of tension. Muscles that are held in a shortened position become tight, and their antagonists are held stretched, becoming weak.
Tight muscles:
- muscles of the chest
- muscles on the back of the neck and tops of the shoulders
Weak muscles:
- muscles in the front of the neck
- muscles in the mid back and around the shoulder blades
These patterns further encourage the posture illustrated above. And if your daily life requires you to hold yourself like this, it can be really tricky to make a change unless you have someone to help you. The problem with a change in posture is that it has a knock-on effect for the rest of the body. The forward head posture can put strain on the jaw, and lead to tension in the neck that might lead to headaches. Slumping forward reduced the space the diaphragm has to move, which means shoulder muscles have to work to help with breathing. Fortunately, getting to the root of the issue might mean that the other problems start to unpick themselves.
Managing Upper Cross Syndrome
Because the syndrome can be cyclical, it’s worth addressing both the muscles and the behaviour behind the posture. Your osteopath can treat the muscles and give you stretches, but you might also benefit from an ergonomic assessment for your desk, or to make changes to the way you sit in the car.
If there are any other aches and pains associated, we can help with those too. Often their close relation means that treating the original problem also involves treatment that directly benefits those secondary aches and pains. For more persistent things, we can look to target them specifically. Your osteopath will give you personalised advice and exercises after your appointment, addressing any problems that might be associated.
Basic Desk Ergonomics
To encourage a neutral position at your desk, you want to sit at a height where your forearms naturally fall to desk height. Ideally, short armrests on your chair would then support your elbows, without making you hitch your shoulders or bend your wrists back to reach the keyboard. The top of your screen should be at eye level, and if you have more than one, their distribution should be defined by how much you use them. For example, if you use two screens equally, put them next to each other in the middle of your workspace. If you just glance at the second infrequently, put the main one in the middle and the second off to one side.
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