Association of upper crossed syndrome and posture among general population having neck pain in Islamabad

Abstract

Introduction: Upper crossed syndrome is a common postural dysfunctional pattern that describes the dysfunctional tone of the musculature of the shoulder girdle/ cervicothoracic region of the body.

Objective: To determine association of Upper Crossed Syndrome and Neck pain among general population in Islamabad.

Materials & Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted from December 2017 to February 2018 in Rawal General and Dental Hospital Islamabad, and National Institute of Rehabilitation Sciences Islamabad after approval of synopsis from Advanced Studies and Research Board. Convenience sampling was used to collect data from male and female participants having neck pain after obtaining informed consent. The questionnaires provided for a subjective assessment from the patient and an objective measure for the clinician. REEDCO scale was used to analyze the proper alignment of head, neck and shoulder, while wall push test was used to assess the abnormal protrusion of scapula. Data were analyzed for descriptive and inferential statistics by SPSS 20; continuous variables were expressed as mean ± SD, and categorical variables as frequency and percentage. A p≤0.05 denoted significance.

Results: The occurrence of upper crossed syndrome was 24.1%.  Out of 340 respondents, 143 (42.06%) had poor posture whereas 197 respondent (57.94%) had good posture. There was strong association between posture and upper crossed syndrome (p˂0.05).

Conclusion: Most patients with neck pain are exposed to the risk of adopting poor posture which can lead to Upper Crossed Syndrome in future; hence the importance of postural awareness among general population of Islamabad.