Your posture plays an essential role in your overall health. Poor posture can lead to pain, chronic strain, and headaches. Upper Crossed Syndrome describes poor posture that results from excessive tightness in your shoulders and chest with weakness in your neck and mid-back. Poor posture can start in the classroom, your work station set-up, and lifestyle of using technology. This dysfunctional musculature pattern forces your shoulders to roll inward and your head to project forward, placing a lot of strain on your joints and muscles.
To understand Upper Crossed Syndrome, think of your spine as a PVC pipe and your head as a bowling ball that sits on top. When the bowling ball is placed directly over the top of the upright post, little effort is required to keep the ball in place. If you tip the PVC pipe forward, the bowling ball begins to roll over the edge. Significant effort is required from the muscles to keep the ball upright. This effort results in a chronic strain of the muscles of your neck and upper back.