Physiotherapy For Lower Crossed Syndrome

Lower Crossed Syndrome is also known as Pelvic Crossed Syndrome, Distal Crossed Syndrome or 'Unterkreuz Syndrome'. The lower crossed syndrome (LCS) is the result of muscle strength imbalances in the lower segment. When muscles are constantly shortened or lengthened in relation to each other, such imbalances occur. It's an imbalance of tight and weak structures around the pelvis, hips and lower back. This imbalance can cause pain and dysfunction and an over arching of the lower back.

Lower Crossed Syndrome is a combination of weak glutes, weak abdominals, tight hip flexors, and a tight lower back. This syndrome is found in individuals who sit for prolonged periods, continuously perform tasks for extending periods of time utilizing poor posture, or have been immobilized.

Causes:
There are several factors involved in the development of lower-crossed syndrome, one of those is thought to be a previous injury to the joints, ligaments or muscles in the low back, pelvis or hip that doesn't resolve completely and leaves certain muscles tight and short. Lower Crossed Syndrome occurs when the gluteals (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus) and abdominal muscles become weak or inhibited and the hip flexors (rectus femoris and iliopsoas) and lumbar erector spinae become tight.

Diagnosis:
Your therapist will be able to diagnose you by listening to your history, looking at your posture and examining you. Your therapist will look at your posture in detail and may line you sideways against a plum line to measure how altered your posture has become. The examination will consist of muscle palpation and stretching to locate the short and tight muscles and muscle testing to determine the weaker muscle groups. Your therapist will also look at the movement of all of the surrounding joints to check for underlying or causative factors.

Treatment:
The treatment of tightness is not in strengthening, which increases tightness and possibly result in more pronounced weakness, but in stretching, oriented toward influencing the noncontractile but retractile connective tissue of the muscle. Your physiotherapists will help you normalize the short and weak muscles by giving you certain exercises with the objective of restoring balance. This may involve purely soft tissue approaches. He will also help normalize your posture and educate you about appropriate body usage.

It is possible to reduce the symptoms of LCS and, over time, resolve the problem completely. By performing various exercises that you physiotherapist prescribes to you, your body will return to normal posture and it will become strong and flexible. If you have been suffering from Lower Crossed Syndrome, you can immediately book an appointment with us and our professionals will help you recover quickly. 

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