back pain · pay attention to your everyday posture, and incorporate some mobility drills,...

Back Pain

2 Common Causes

Upper Cross Syndrome

Lower Cross Syndrome

Upper Cross Syndrome

Common Signs and Symptoms

Forward head posture

Rounded shoulders

Hunched upper back

Headache

Pain in the shoulders, upper back, and neck

Upper Cross Syndrome

Causes

Prolonged sitting, particularly with bad posture

Physical inactivity

Regular performance of sports and activities that involve an uneven

stimulation of the muscles that are involved in UCS

Poor exercise technique (Failure to retract while during bench press and

squatting)

Imbalanced strength training (more pushing than pulling)

Genetic predispositions

Upper Cross Syndrome

Results in the following tight muscles:

Upper trapezius and levator scapula

Rolling and Stretching for:

Upper trapezius and levator scapula

Upper Cross Syndrome

Results in the following tight muscles:

Pectoralis Major and Minor

Rolling and Stretching for:

Pectoralis Major and Minor

Upper Cross Syndrome

Results in the following weak muscles:

Deep cervical flexors

Exercise for:

Deep cervical flexors

Upper Cross Syndrome

Results in the following weak muscles:

Middle and lower trapezius

Exercise for:

Middle and lower trapezius

Upper Cross Syndrome

What to do?

1. Learn how to “set” the shoulders and tuck the chin

2. Strengthen the weakened musculature (deep cervical flexors and mid

and lower trapezius)

3. Set your shoulders correctly when exercising

4. Pay attention to everyday posture. Incorporate some mobility drills,

stretches and corrective exercises into your training sessions and daily life.

Lower Cross Syndrome

Common Signs and Symptoms

Anterior Pelvic Tilt

Increased lower back curve

“Bulging” (no necessarily fat) abdomen

Knee hyperextension

Lower back pain

Poor exercise technique

Lower Cross Syndrome

Causes

Prolonged sitting, particularly with bad posture

Physical inactivity

Regular performance of sports and activities that involve an uneven stimulation of the muscles that are involved in LCS

Poor exercise technique (lumbar hyperextension in deadlift, press and squat)

Imbalanced strength training (more lower back and/or hip than glute and/or abdominal)

Genetic predispositions

Lower Cross Syndrome

Results in the following tight muscles:

Thoracolumbar extensors

Rolling and Stretching for:

Thoracolumbar extensors

Lower Cross Syndrome

Results in the following tight muscles:

Iliopsoas and rectus femoris

Rolling and Stretching for:

Iliopsoas and rectus femoris

Lower Cross Syndrome

Results in the following weak muscles:

Abdominals

Exercises for:

Abdominals

Lower Cross Syndrome

Results in the following weak muscles:

Gluteus maximus and medius

Exercises for:

Gluteus maximus and medius

Lower Cross Syndrome

What to do?

1. Perform the lying pelvic

2. Perform the standing pelvic tilt/glute squeeze

3. Learn and ingrain the hip hinge pattern

4. Strengthen the muscles that produce posterior pelvic tilt (abdominals and gluteus maximus and medius)

5. Perform squats, deadlifts, presses and other multi-joint exercises with good technique

6. Pay attention to your everyday posture, and incorporate some mobility drills, stretches, and/or strengthening exercises into your daily life

Back Pain

Postural training is an important part of treating back pain.

Especially pay attention to sitting posture.

Fixing back pain requires persistency and effort.

For suggestions on exercises and stretches, come see us at the fitness

centre!