Work from Home Self Mobility
Hey Friends! This is my first installment in a series of posts I want to do on mobility. While working from home, we’re going to be seeing a lot of issues arise in our soft tissue, and while we may not be able to visit our local chiropractor regularly right NOW, I would love to show you some things I’ve learned in my time as a Certified Athletic Trainer and former gym owner.
During this series, we'll take a brief look at several soft tissue restriction issues that can arise as a result of positional tension and/or for a variety of reasons. The human body is a delicate system that even when functioning optimally can present with some dysfunctions that build up over the course of time.
My goal for this little multi-part mini series is to address some of the more common conditions we see, present some root causes, and then educate on how we can prevent and manage these tissues on our own with minimal time and equipment.
So without further adieu, let's talk about our first one..and it's a doozy! UPPER CROSS SYNDROME. Man, it just sounds legit and scary, doesn't it?? Trust me, it doesn't have to be!
WHAT IS UPPER CROSS SYNDROME?
Upper Cross Syndrome is a general term for a postural condition found in the neck, shoulder and thoracic region of the body--quite literally, the "upper" body. I could wax on about all the tiny details, but the main idea is that the muscles of your upper body present in an alternating pattern of tightness and weakness that can be discerned by visualizing an X pattern in the upper body--hence the descriptive "cross" term. For our purposes, we'll identify the typically tight and weak muscles as they present in this syndrome.
WHY DOES UPPER CROSS SYNDROME OCCUR?
Again, the body is an intricate system and every individual is different, but here are some of the reasons why UCS may become an issue for some people:
Increased desk work
Altered Posture
Nursing position/baby holding position
Core Instability
Increase in sitting
Increase phone use
What musculature is tight?
Anterior shoulder (pec major/minor) and posterior upper cervicals (subocciptals, upper trap and elevator)
What musculature is weak?
anterior cervical flexors and lower thoracic/scapular (rhomboids, lower trap)
WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT/MANAGE UPPER CROSS SYNDROME?
There are a lot of things we can do to prevent and manage the onset of UCS, and it doesn't have to be hard!
Stay active. This means continuing to move your body in ways that feel good and are appropriate for your current activity level. An increase in the amount and time spent sitting is common right now, but for those who are able to stay active and allow themselves to consistently move, the severity and onset of UCS can be greatly minimized.
Address any existing core instability issues through consistent core, pelvic floor, and breath work. The work you will be doing is all very targeted to the transverse abdominals, multifidi, diaphragm, and pelvic floor musculature.
Postural awareness throughout the day. Being aware is half the battle! Watch yourself in the mirror to check for things like forward head posture (head protruding forward and not aligned with spine, chin jutting forward) and increased kyphosis through the thoracic spine (rounded, slumped shoulders).
If a nursing mama, When nursing or holding baby, remember to bring baby to the breast and not vice versa (rounding your shoulders/slumping to bring the breast to baby). Using ample amounts of pillows and getting set up in a good position prior to nursing or holding baby for extended periods of time is super helpful. There are so many good nursing pillow options like the My Breast Friendor the Boppy that can help!
One of the easiest and best ways to address this issue is both preventative and corrective self-myofascial release. Ok, bear with me, that's kind of a confusing word, but we're basically talking about addressing the connective tissue restrictions in your body on a consistent basis, and making sure they're supple and moving properly. Prolonged poor posture, weakness, and immobility/poor stability can cause negative adaptations in your fascial (connective) tissue that lead to adhesions, which lead to pain/discomfort/eventual injury. I recommend using a few simple tools like lacrosse balls, foam rollers,(make sure to get a 3 ft long, high density roller for the most versatility) or my personal favorite THE ORB. These tools allow you to apply manual controlled pressure to areas of restriction that respond to this sustained pressure over time by loosening. For instance, in the case of UCS, we would specifically want to release areas like the pecs, upper traps, levator scaps (back of neck area), and rhomboids (between shoulder blades), as a start.
Lastly, there are a few simple postural exercises that you can do on a regular basis to combat the muscular weakness that we see associated with UCS. I'm not talking getting in the gym and lifting 500 lbs with your chin tucks. I'm talking very easy, high repetition corrections that can be done multiple times throughout the day, most of the time from a chair, in your car, or at your standing desk while working.
If you want to know the definition of “go ugly early” and make the best of what you have, be sure to watch my super professional (NOT PROFESSIONAL) videos below that debut my personal assistant Bear as my model on how to use the mobility tools we love. Friends, this is your sign that you don’t have to have perfect videos, flawless execution or even a clean house to do things that make you happy. I hope you can laugh along with us!
