Do you have low back issues? Or pain in the hips or knees? In a previous post, I talked about posture and Upper Crossed Syndrome. Not surprisingly, there's also a "lower crossed syndrome" that occurs in the lower body.
Lower Crossed Syndrome
What is it?
In lower crossed syndrome, tightness in the erector spinae muscles of the low back is crossed with tightness of the hip flexors (iliopsoas and rec fem). Weakness and inhibition of the glutes (buttock muscles) cross with weakness and inhibition of the deep abdominal muscles. Specific postural changes that result from lower crossed syndrome include a forward tilted pelvis, an increased curve in the low back, flexed hips, and hyperextended knees.
What causes it?
As with upper crossed syndrome, lower crossed syndrome is usually as a result of prolonged sitting, particularly with poor posture. It can also be caused by the performance of sports that require an uneven stimulation of the muscles involved, poor exercise technique, imbalanced strength training, and much more. The development of lower crossed syndrome initiates a vicious cycle: because certain muscles are weak, their functions become compromised, and other muscles must take over. As the stronger muscles take over, they become more and more active, while the weak muscles become even more inhibited.
What are the signs and symptoms?
- Anterior (forward) pelvic tilt
- Increased lower back curve
- Bulging abdomen (not necessarily fat)
- Flexed hips
- Hyperextended knees
- Pain or dysfunction in the low back, sacroiliac joint, hips, or knees
- Poor lower extremity movement patterns
For example, when performing squats and deadlifts, someone with lower crossed syndrome will exhibit overextension of his/her low back, lack of glute (butt) activation, and increased quad (thigh) domination. This combination of weak and strong muscles pulls the pelvis into a suboptimal position for functioning. (By the way, I'm totally guilty of this. It's something I've been trying to fix myself.)
What can be done?
Correcting posture and movement patterns
Postural awareness is, again, probably the most straightforward approach in correcting lower crossed syndrome. It's important for one to understand and know how to execute movements with proper form and technique not only during exercise, but also during daily activities. You'll be surprised at the number of people who don't know how to do simple things such as bending down, squatting, or picking up an object from the floor. Retraining the body how to move properly again will ingrain better movement patterns.
Stretching tight muscles and strengthening weak muscles
Most people spend so much time sitting that almost everyone can benefit from stretching their hip flexors. Glute and deep abdominal/core strengthening can be of use as well to increase muscle strength and stability around the pelvic area. The combination of stretching tight muscles and strengthening weak muscles will help to create a more neutral pelvis that is optimal for functioning. This will put less stress on the surrounding soft tissues and prevent joint dysfunction and pain.
As I mentioned before, lower crossed syndrome is a vicious cycle of tight muscles getting tighter and weak muscles getting weaker. It's absolutely not going to correct itself, so if you think you're suffering from lower crossed syndrome, make sure to seek help right away before it gets worse!
