What is Cervical Postural Syndrome?
Understanding your injury – Brisbane Physiotherapy Edition.
Overview of Cervical Postural Syndrome:
Description
- Cervical Postural Syndrome is described as poor posture of the neck, shoulder and upper back which causes pain and muscle tightness of the neck and upper back region.
- These syndromes are characterized by a typical posture of protruding chin, rounded shoulder and a larger than normal forward curve of the upper back.
Presentation
- May experience burning or aching pain across the shoulders and neck or of suboccipital (base of skull) pain
- Pain is aggravated by prolonged static posture and is typically relieved by movement
- Posture: Protruding chin, rounded shoulders
- On examination:
o Restricted shoulder movement
o Tight pectoral muscles
o Stiff neck and upper back joints
o Weak muscles: deep neck flexors, serratus anterior and trapezius and/or rhomboid
o May have some neural tension.
- It may be seen in athletes whose sport requires them to adopt prolonged postures. Including cyclists, baseball catchers and hockey players.
- It may also occur in the workplace among people working at the computer screen, painters and production line workers.
Cervical Postural Syndrome Management
Treatment
Therapeutic exercise
Manual therapy: muscle release
Ergonomic advice and postural retraining
Joint mobilization – to improve mobility of stiffer spinal segments
Postural taping