09/03/2025
Do you have forward head posture, rounded shoulders, or neck tightness?
This could be a sign of Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS) — a common postural imbalance caused by muscle overactivity and weakness.
🔴 Tight/Overactive muscles:
• Upper trapezius
• Levator scapulae
• Pectoralis major & minor
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Subscapularis
• Sternocleidomastoid
• Suboccipitals
• Scalenes
🔵 Weak/Inhibited muscles:
• Deep neck flexors (longus colli/capitis)
• Rhomboids
• Posterior deltoid
• Serratus anterior
• Teres minor/infraspinatus (rotator cuff)
• Medial/Lower trapezius
What this means:
➡️ Tight muscles pull your head and shoulders forward.
➡️ Weak muscles can’t counteract that pull.
➡️ For every inch of anterior head carriage ~10lbs of force is put on spine to hold the head
➡️ The result = neck pain, headaches, shoulder tension, and poor posture.
How to fix it:
✅ See a chiropractor to assess and adjust biomechanical problems in cervical and thoracic regions.
✅ Stretch the tight muscles (pecs, traps, levator scapulae, etc.).
✅ Strengthen the weak muscles (neck flexors, rhomboids, lower traps, serratus anterior, etc.).
✅ Postural awareness & ergonomic changes are key!
