What is Upper Cross Syndrome?

​Do you have excellent posture? If you sit in front of a computer all day, commute long distances, or spend lots of time texting or watching TV, you probably don’t.

Upper cross syndrome, also referred to as upper crossed syndrome or UCS, names a pattern of movement and postural variance attributed to the interaction between “tight” and “weak” muscles in the upper body resulting in poor posture, discomfort, and pain.

Massage therapy can use soft tissue manipulation and assisted stretching to facilitate relief for upper cross syndrome. Activating the relaxation response can help decrease stress levels, increase client resilience, and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body, which could in turn relieve discomfort from upper cross syndrome.