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As a personal trainer, there are common conditions you might come across in some of your clients. One of the most popular conditions seen today is upper crossed syndrome, which is a posture condition. When you notice this in your clients, you will want to recommend some upper crossed syndrome exercises to help correct it. There is more than one cause for this condition, multiple movements to treat it, and tips to prevent it in the future.
Even as someone without a trainer, you can work on addressing any symptoms you have of UCS on your own. Once you have recovered from this condition, there are plenty of tips to follow to keep from developing it again.
Before you can begin to correct upper crossed syndrome in your clients you need to understand what it is. This condition has to do with an individual’s posture and can be caused by more than one thing.
This syndrome happens when the muscles of the neck, chest, and shoulder become strained. This happens from the overactivity of the muscles and eventually causes them to tighten. Surrounding muscles weaken at the same time.
Muscles weakened, damaged, or stretched by this condition include the;
A professional will diagnose upper crossed syndrome by looking at a few factors, such as the symptoms and what usually causes the symptoms. An expert will see if you have a “hunch” type posture, and ask about any pain or tightness in your shoulders, neck, or chest. Doctors will have you move your neck and shoulders as well to see the muscles in motion.
There are specific signs that a medical professional will look at. These include;
Upper crossed syndrome has also been found to cause frequent tension headaches.
Upper crossed syndrome is accompanied by several common symptoms. Telling your doctor about any of these can help them to accurately diagnose you.
Upper crossed syndrome can be caused by more than one thing, but having poor posture is the most common cause. It can also come from being hunched over when driving, reading, using a phone, or performing similar activities. When you have poor posture doing these activities, it can cause damage to the muscles in your shoulders, neck, chest, and upper back. Over time they will become deformed, which will contribute to a range of painful symptoms.
Common causes of UCS include;
Knowing the cause behind your upper crossed syndrome can help you treat the condition, and prevent it from coming back in the future. Despite how common it is, there is not just one cause for this syndrome.
There is more than one way to correct upper crossed syndrome, and the exact treatment will depend on the cause behind it and the severity. More severe cases might require more in-depth physical therapy and medical care, but many cases can be treated with exercise. You can offer certain exercises to clients who suffer from UCS to do on their own, or you can guide them through the movements.
There is more than one exercise that has proven effective in correcting upper crossed syndrome.
There are also exercises you can perform on equipment to correct upper crossed syndrome. Two especially beneficial movements are face pulls and seated rows. Bench presses, deadlifts, and squats are also helpful.
Make sure to always perform warm-up stretches, especially ones that focus on the neck, shoulder and chest muscles like pectoral stretches.
There are other treatment options to consider, especially if the upper crossed syndrome is severe. In addition to a physical therapist, you might want to seek out a chiropractor. This can be especially helpful if the UCS has put a lot of strain on the spine. Upper crossed syndrome can damage the joints, but a chiropractor can get them realigned.
Physical therapists can also be helpful by offering manual movement of the strained muscles. In order to correct upper crossed syndrome, it may take exercises, in addition to physical therapy and chiropractic care. Over-the-counter pain relief medication and cold compresses can act as quick relief of UCS pain.
Once you have recovered from upper crossed syndrome you will want to know how to prevent it in the future. If you are a personal trainer you will want to know tips for avoiding this condition so you can properly educate your clients.
There are a few ways you can work to avoid and prevent upper crossed syndrome in the future.
If you have recently recovered from upper crossed syndrome then you will want to keep in mind any advice from your doctor, physical therapist, or personal trainer. Following this advice should prevent you from developing the condition again in the future.
Whether you suffer from upper crossed syndrome yourself or know a client who is struggling with it, there are plenty of ways to recover. It is a common syndrome with painful symptoms that affect the muscles of your shoulders, chest, neck, and back.
Once you understand what UCS is and what causes it, you can learn the proper exercises and treatments to address it. This condition can be recovered from, and there are ways to avoid developing it again in the future.
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About the Author:
Cory McKane
Cory is a huge fan of fitness - and an even bigger fan of helping you with your fitness. He's started on his journey with WeStrive back in 2015 and has been building it ever since.
