Description

Prolonged sitting and repetitive movements, common in desk jobs, poor ergonomics, and sedentary lifestyles, can lead to poor posture, discomfort, pain, and muscle or joint disability. A frequent result of poor posture is Upper Cross Syndrome, characterized by imbalances between upper body muscle groups. In Upper Cross Syndrome, overactive muscles like the pectoralis major, upper trapezius, and levator scapulae become tight, while the deep neck flexors, middle and lower trapezius, serratus anterior, and rhomboids weaken, disrupting movement patterns and increasing injury risk. Dr. Janda's 1988 model categorized muscles into postural (tonic) muscles, prone to tightness, and phasic muscles, prone to weakness. Upper cross Syndrome commonly causes neck, shoulder, and upper back pain, along with discomfort in the shoulder blades and neck stiffness.

Upper Cross Syndrome symptoms include neck, shoulder, and upper back pain, and can lead to forward head posture , increased thoracic kyphosis, and loss of cervical lordosis. Forward head posture, seen in 60% of individuals aged 20 to 50, causes neck strain, reduced mobility, and pain. With the rise of technology use, Upper cross syndrome has become more prevalent. Individuals often lean forward to view screens, exacerbating posture-related issues. Studies show Upper cross syndrome prevalence in IT professionals (67%), students (37.1%) and laundry workers (28%). Prevalence across different groups ranges from 11% to 60%. This condition leads to pain, discomfort, and reduced quality of life, prompting the need for effective treatment.

Effective manual therapy techniques for treating Upper Cross Syndrome aim to alleviate muscle tension, improve mobility, and correct postural imbalances. These include joint mobilization and manipulation, which restore normal motion and reduce pain, and soft tissue mobilization techniques like myofascial release and trigger point therapy that target tight muscles to enhance blood flow and reduce tension. Active Release Techniques identify and release muscle adhesions through specific movements and therapist-applied pressure, while transverse massage uses friction across muscle fibers to break down adhesions and promote healing. Post-Isometric Relaxation helps enhance flexibility and reduce tightness by contracting and stretching muscles, and neuro-mobilization addresses nerve entrapments commonly associated with Upper cross syndrome to alleviate pain.

A growing body of research has explored the effectiveness of various interventions for managing Upper cross syndrome, including manual therapy, and biofeedback-guided strength training. Karthi et al. found that motor control training of deep neck flexors using pressure biofeedback significantly reduced pain and disability, highlighting the efficacy of biofeedback in improving muscle activation and posture. Similarly, Ashfaq et al. demonstrated that cranio-cervical flexion training with biofeedback enhanced muscular endurance and reduced neck pain more effectively than conventional methods. These findings align with the clinical utility of biofeedback in correcting postural imbalances, a key feature of UCS. In addition, ART, which targets muscle adhesions and soft tissue dysfunction, has shown promise in improving range of motion and alleviating pain in UCS patients (Kang et al., 2016).Manual therapy techniques like joint mobilization and soft tissue manipulation are also effective in restoring normal movement patterns and reducing discomfort. Gumuscu et al. further supported these findings by showing that combining conventional program i.e. stabilization exercises with stretching and strengthening improved posture and respiratory function in office workers with forward head posture, suggesting that integrated approaches could enhance outcomes in Upper cross syndrome management.

Strength training has been widely used to correct Upper cross syndrome by targeting weak muscle groups, particularly DCFs. Studies have shown that resistance exercises can significantly improve posture and reduce associated pain by enhancing muscle endurance and correcting imbalances. However, conventional strength training lacks real-time feedback mechanisms, not providing neuromuscular control, potentially leading to compensatory movements and suboptimal outcomes.