The type of posture can guide the development of a rehabilitation plan.
Biomechanical pain can be divided into two categories: either a muscle is overactive, constantly working in its favorite narrow range of motion, which inhibits its regeneration, or a muscle is underactive and delegates its work to neighboring structures, overloading them. [1]
This issue can affect both the upper and lower spine. When it occurs in the upper spine, it is referred to as Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS). UCS is a common musculoskeletal condition characterized by altered muscle activation and movement patterns involving the head, neck, shoulders, and upper back. [2] The most common presentation involves underactive cervical flexors and thoracic back muscles, combined with overactive pectoral muscles and cervical spine muscles. [3]
The analogous condition in the lumbar spine is known as Lower Crossed Syndrome (LCS). It is characterized by underactive abdominal and gluteal muscles, while the hip flexors and thoracolumbar extensors become overactive. [4]
The closer the default posture gets to hyper- kypholordosis (more information about types of posture you can in this post: 6 types of posture), the more postural muscles choose the underactivation strategy, putting more stress on other structures. To let them heal, more tension in the core muscles is needed.
The closer the default posture gets to the military one, the more postural muscles choose the overactivation strategy, which decreases their regeneration ability and causes them to tense up. To heal them, it is necessary to let them work outside of their comfort range of motion.
That is why, rather than thinking about posture as good or bad, it’s more productive to perceive it as a key to choosing the proper rehabilitation direction.
- Newcomer, Karen L., i in. „Muscle Activation Patterns in Subjects with and without Low Back Pain”. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, t. 83, nr 6, June 2002, s. 816–21. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1053/apmr.2002.32826
- Chang, Min Cheol, i in. „Treatment of Upper Crossed Syndrome: A Narrative Systematic Review”. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), t. 11, nr 16, August 2023, s. 2328. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11162328
- Izraelski, Jason. „Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance: The Janda Approach”. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, t. 56, nr 2, June 2012, s. 158. PubMed Central, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3364069/
- Key, Josephine. „The Pelvic Crossed Syndromes: A Reflection of Imbalanced Function in the Myofascial Envelope; a Further Exploration of Janda’s Work”. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, t. 14, nr 3, July 2010, s. 299–301. PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.01.008