Which muscle is tight (facilitated) in upper cross syndrome?

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In upper cross syndrome, a pattern emerges where muscles on the chest and at the back of the neck become overactive and shortened, while muscles in the mid back and deep neck flexors are underactive and lengthened. The pectoral muscles tighten because the shoulders stay chronically protracted and rounded, pulling the humerus forward and tilting the scapula anteriorly. That forward pull on the chest reinforces the rounded posture and disrupts normal shoulder mechanics, making the pecs the primary tight, facilitated muscles in this pattern. The cervical flexors are typically weak rather than tight, suboccipitals can be involved as a compensatory response but aren’t the main tight group, and rhomboids are usually weak and elongated rather than tight.