Upper Cross Syndrome

With upper crossed syndrome the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and chest have become deformed.

Specifically, the back muscles of the neck and shoulders (upper trapezius, and levator scapula) become extremely overactive and strained. The muscles in the front of the chest (the major and minor pectoralis muscles) become shortened and tight.

As a result of these overactive muscles, the surrounding counter muscles become underused and weakened. In upper crossed syndrome, this causes weak muscles in the front of the neck (cervical flexor muscles) and in the lower shoulders (rhomboid and lower trapezius muscles).

The condition gets its name from the "x" shape that develops when regions of overactive and underactive muscles overlap.