Screening and Assessments

Question 1

What are some common features of Upper Crossed Syndrome and how do we check for it?

Answer 1

Common Features: Forward head, increased thoracic curve, depressed sternum, tight pecs, weak traps, and upper back

Ways to check: Are the ears in line with shoulders

Can you see the person’s ring fingers

Is there a rounding in the upper back?

Are the shoulders rolling forward?

Question 2

What are the common features of Lower Crossed Syndrome?

And how do we check?

Answer 2

Weak low abdominals, weak glutes, tight lumbar, tight hip flexors, increased lumbar curve, forward sway of upper femur

How to check? Is there a significant curve in the low back?

Is the femur in line with the ankle?

Question 3

Dynamic Postural Assessment: 3 tests

Answer 3

1. Seated Spinal Rotation
2. Leg Raise
3. Squat

Question 4

What is the purpose of the Seat Spinal Twist and how to perform it.

Answer 4

Purpose: Show’s client’s mobility in the transverse plane. (rotation)

Set-up and Procedure:

• Client sits on hard surface in cross-legged seat. Client holds dowel across collarbones and trainer holds dowel vertically in line with client’s center.
• Instruct client to rotate left and right and note the angle that the client achieves.
• Scored: 0-3
• 0 = pain or very wide angle
• 3= less than 5cm from vertical dowel

Question 5

What is the purpose of the Leg Raise and How to perform it?

Answer 5

Assess client’s stability in the pelvis, hinging, range of motion

setup and execution: Client lies down (supine)

Part 1 - client lifts leg up so heel is in line with other foot’s toes R/L. The opposite leg should remain motionless. Trainer places hand under low back and instructs client to engage core, does this help with clients stability?

Part 2 - Trainer places Right foot and clients right knee, client lifts Left leg, trainer notices range of motion in relation to trainer center line

Score: 0-3

0= pain or cannot achieve neutral low back

Question 6

What is the purpose of the Squat Test and how to perform it:

Answer 6

This test challenges upper and lower body mobility, hinging, coordination

How to perform:

Part1: close to wall, client reaches overhead with dowel, heels are raised, client squats down, is femur below parallel?

Part2: Feet on floor, same motion, is femur parallel or lower in the squat position?

Part 3: Toes elevated

Score: 0-3

0=pain or is unable to bring femur parallel and cannot keep arms in line with ears