JOURNAL OF LIAONING TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

PREVALENCE OF UPPER CROSS SYNDROME IN BANKERS OF FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN

Saad Bin Aziz, Uzma Jamil, Iqra Waseem, Faiza Altaf, Rafia Imtiaz, Fasih Ahmed, Ayesha Bashir, Misbah Fasih

Abstract

Upper cross syndrome is the stiffness and over activation of the muscles of upper back and neck particularly upper trapezius and levator scapulae resulting in the rigidity of these muscles dorsally. The condition is associated with shortness of muscles of chest specially pectoralis major and minor ventrally. The condition is becoming more prevalent among the bankers because of continuous sitting in a hunched over posture while working on computers. Computer usage for longer duration of time and poor postural habits contribute to the problem. A cross sectional study was conducted and a convenient sample of 100 bankers from different banks of Faisalabad city was collected following convenient sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaires were circulated after taking the informed consent. Bankers of age between 24-60 years having upper back and chest stiffness with pain in neck and shoulders were included. Bankers with any recent trauma to upper back, systemic illness, congenital structural deformity and any acute condition were excluded from this study. It was ensured that no individual will be harmed during the study. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 24.0. Reliability of the questionnaire and response from the participants came out to be 0.767. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for quantitative data. Frequency and percentages were calculated for qualitative data. Upper back pain was found in 34% of the respondents, upper neck pain in 26% of the participants, pain in front of the chest in 9% of the subjects and in arms in 7% of the subjects.Flexed sitting posture was reported in 73% of the participants. Forward head position was found in 21% of the subjects. Headaches were reported in 79% of the participants during work. Poor posture, prolonged sitting and inappropriate ergonomics of the work station were the cause of upper cross syndrome. Prevalence of upper cross syndrome in bankers of Faisalabad came out to be 54.1%.

Keywords: upper cross syndrome, rounded shoulders, upper body work related musculoskeletal disorders, poor upper body posture, muscle imbalance.