Upper Crossed Syndrome: Trends and Recent Advances in the Physiotherapy Treatment a Narrative Review

Background: How does it affect the quality of life of the patient?

Upper Crossed Syndrome (UCS) is also discussed as proximal or shoulder crossed syndrome. According to Vladimir Janda, UCS is characterized by the tightness of the levator scapulae muscle, upper trapezius muscle, on dorsal sides crosses with tightness of pectoralis major muscle and minor muscle. Weakness of the deep cervical flexors ventrally crosses along with weakness of the middle and the lower trapezius. The weakness and tightness lead to postural imbalance. In addition to this, it creates postural patterning of rounded shoulder forward head posture, loss of cervical lordosis, and increased kyphosis. These can lead to postural adjustment in the upper quarter of the body.

Materials and Methods: Out of 17 articles screened 8 studies are included in this review according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria are forward head posture, articles from the year 2011 to 2021, patient age between 20-50 years, article published in English languages, articles available in full text, and RCT’S. The exclusion criteria are, articles published before 2011, age less than 20 years and more than 50 years old, articles published other than English language, and articles not available with full text. Relevant studies were retrieved through Cochrane, PubMed, CINHAL, and Embase databases from the year 2011 to 2021.

Results: All the physiotherapeutic treatments including conventional and recent trends showed a beneficial effect on patient with upper crossed syndrome or postural abnormalities.

Conclusion: All physiotherapy interventions like strengthening and stretching, resistance exercises, postural correction exercises, and ROM exercises has a positive effect on the prevention and treatment of upper crossed syndrome. Also, recent trends like dry needling, yoga therapy, myofascial trigger release, eccentric muscle energy technique, Kinesio taping, and IFT and EMG activity has also shown positive result in UCS.