One of the most common injuries I see is shoulder pain. The majority of shoulder problems develop from repetitive wear and tear occurring due to restricted joints and muscular imbalances.
Shoulder pain is usually a symptom of deeper problems that, unless corrected, may lead to total functional impairment in a very predictable pattern:
1. Impingement, that leads to
2. Tendonitis / Bursitis developing into
3. Rotator Cuff injury leading to
4. Upper Crossed Syndrome (scroll down to take a look)
Upper Crossed Syndrome is a muscle imbalance pattern affecting the shoulders and neck/head.
If you have a desk job, you most likely have Upper Crossed Syndrome.
It results in overuse/underuse of muscles that eventually manifest in back and neck pain.
Affected muscles by Upper Crossed Syndrome:
Tightness:
1. Upper Traps
2. Levator Scapula
3. Pectoralis Major
4. Pectoralis Minor
Weakness:
1. Deep cervical flexors
2. Middle and Lower Traps
What does this all mean?
Basically, it means that when 4-5 muscles get too tight it can lead to a chain of events that can create shoulder instability, dysfunction, pain and injury. The shoulder and neck problems I see in clients, mostly come from overuse of the traps and neck!
So, what do you look for to identify Upper Crossed Syndrome?
1. Forward Head Posture (do you wear your head ahead of your body?)
2. Increased Cervical Lordosis and Thoracic Kyphosis (A hunched back)
3. Elevated and protracted shoulders (rounded forward shoulders)
4. Winging of the shoulder blades (if someone can slide their fingers under your shoulder blade, they’re winging)
One or more of these symptoms can mean that your shoulders are unstable and at risk for injury. You may already be feeling the effects in the form of nerve pain in the neck and arms, headaches, rotator cuff problems.
If you suffer from NECK and SHOULDER pain and you think Upper Crossed Syndrome may be the culprit of your pain, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me! Your condition is fixable and together we could easily make your pain go away!
I freed up some time on my schedule, so click on this link and grab the time that works best for you and let’s talk on the phone! I’ll explain how I can help you eliminate your pain, even if you live on the other side of the country or on another continent! 