In our computerized world, most of us spend entirely too much time in a sitting position, mainly in front of a computer. Even with the most wonderful ergonomics, having your arms out in front of you for multiple hours at a time presents a problem. Dr. Vladimir Janda, a Czech physician described a condition known as “Upper Crossed Syndrome,” in which the pectoralis muscles of the chest, and the sub-occipital muscles just below the back of the skull become over contracted, whereas the deep neck flexor muscles in the front of the neck, and the rhomboid muscles that hold the shoulder blades to the spine become inhibited. This functional muscle imbalance creates the classic “Office Worker Syndrome” or “Student Syndrome” that is so common today, including neck and upper back pain, and frequently tension headaches, or even migraines.

Fortunately, this is an easy problem to prevent, and if you suffer from it, it is very correctable with a few stretches and exercises. Today, we will be looking at a stretch called Bruegger’s Postural Break, which helps to specifically undo the “forward flexed” posture, and strengthen the postural muscles responsible for opposing the forward flexion.