Upper Cross Syndrome and its Relation to Baseball

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     In the athletics industry, there is a popular term used to describe the different muscle groups of the upper body while training. Generally, the upper body can be broken down into two separate groups. The “show” muscles, consisting of the anterior chain of muscles: pectoralis muscles, abs, and biceps, and the “go muscles” consisting of the posterior chain of muscles: rhomboids, triceps, lats, and the trapezius muscle complex.2 As you could imagine based on what the name implies, the anterior chain muscles are generally the look good muscles, but the posterior chain muscles are what’s important in providing stability, power, and total body strength.2 Sometimes, due to either ineffective training, or poor care of the body following exercise, some of the “show” muscles become tight and overactive, while a majority of the “go muscles” become stretched out, weak, and inhibited. This occurrence is known as upper cross syndrome (UCS), and is characterized by protracted shoulders and a forward head.3 Specifically, athletes displaying UCS exhibit tight pecs (major and minor), upper traps, and cervical extensors (sternocleidomastoid, levator scapulae, and scalenes). As a result, the same athletes have inhibited, weak, and underactive mid-and-upper back muscles (mid/lower traps, serratus anterior, and rotator cuff).3

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How does this tie into baseball and overhead athletes you ask? The overhead athletes that display UCS are predisposed to injury due to compensation and lack of proper biomechanics in throwing. Normally, the shoulder complex relies on the proper balance of muscle activation and flexibility between the anterior and posterior muscles involved in throwing.1 However, when there is a deficit in flexibility or strength in an agonistic muscle, the antagonist muscle must compensate to create equal force, causing muscle dysfunction.1 These differences in normal muscle function lead to changes in arthrokinematics and movement impairments, which could possibly lead to structural damage.1 Janda found in his research that subacromial impingement, a condition in which a narrowing of the subacromial space, is a common result from UCS. This impingement results in inflammation occurring in the rotator cuff, biceps tendon long head, and subacromial bursa.1 Not only is this a problem in itself as far as pain and lack of proper movement goes, but it also results in compensation in the throwing motion, creating more stress at the shoulder and elbow to make up in power.

Works Cited:

1Page, P. (2011). SHOULDER MUSCLE IMBALANCE AND SUBACROMIAL IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME IN OVERHEAD ATHLETES. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 6(1), 51–58.

2Pomazak, R. (2014, April 9). 'Show Muscles' for Strength vs. 'Go Muscles' for Performance. Retrieved October 13, 2016, from http://www.stack.com/a/go-muscles-show-muscles

3Sutton, B. (2013, November 22). Shoulder Pain Prevention. Retrieved October 13, 2016, from http://blog.nasm.org/ces/shoulder-pain-prevention/