Lower Cross Syndrome

After reading the information about upper cross syndrome, you may have gathered that lower cross will involve inhibited (or weak) muscles and overactive (or tight) muscles that lead to a cross pattern. And maybe you read ahead when you saw the riveting name Vladimir Janda and said to yourself, I can’t wait for the next blog!

Well, if you didn’t look into to it, no worries. I’m here to give you the information (which I know is the reason you waited, obviously). While you were sitting at your desk learning about upper cross syndrome and feeling discomfort in your neck, did you also notice some pain in your lower back? If so, it could be related to lower cross syndrome.

The world we live in is being run by technology and many job positions are seated desk jobs that have people sitting for most of their work day.  Over the course of your workweek, and you develop a seated position to which your body becomes accustomed. This pattern leads to tight hip flexors (muscles allowing you to bring your knee to your chest) and lumbar erectors (low back muscles that allow you to stand and be seated up right). If you look at how you are seated right now, most people would agree that their legs are bent and their back is slouched. In turn, as these muscles tighten and we stay seated, our Gluteus Maximus (butt muscles) and abdomen muscles become weak.  Check out the picture below.

The question now is, what can be done?  Similar to upper cross syndrome, correctional exercises and stretches can be performed to help eliminate pain. A simple posterior pelvic tilt can engage the core and glute muscles while reorganizing your pelvis under your low back.  Many times with this muscle imbalance, the erector muscles of the back pull your pelvic bones leading to an anterior pelvic tilt and facilitate weakness in the core.  The goal is to bring the pelvis back underneath the lumbar spine, which will help stabilize the low back, engage the core muscles and provide less discomfort when you’re standing! So now that you have taken care of both upper and lower cross syndromes, you are ready to get up out of that desk chair and continue moving!

For more information about low back pain treatment visit www.stumpffchiro.com and as always tell us what you have found helpful for your posture!