Which pair of muscles are weak (inhibited) in lower cross syndrome?

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Multiple Choice

Which pair of muscles are weak (inhibited) in lower cross syndrome?

In lower cross syndrome, the front of the body tends to be tight while the back is weak, creating a characteristic imbalance. The hip flexors (like the iliopsoas) and the lumbar erector spinae are typically overactive and pull the pelvis into an anterior tilt with increased lumbar lordosis. The muscles that should oppose this pattern—gluteus maximus and the abdominal muscles—become inhibited and can't properly stabilize the pelvis and spine. That’s why the pair of muscles that are weak in this syndrome is the gluteus maximus and the abdominals. The hip flexors and erector spinae are usually the ones that are tight, not weak, in this pattern.

In lower cross syndrome, the front of the body tends to be tight while the back is weak, creating a characteristic imbalance. The hip flexors (like the iliopsoas) and the lumbar erector spinae are typically overactive and pull the pelvis into an anterior tilt with increased lumbar lordosis. The muscles that should oppose this pattern—gluteus maximus and the abdominal muscles—become inhibited and can't properly stabilize the pelvis and spine. That’s why the pair of muscles that are weak in this syndrome is the gluteus maximus and the abdominals. The hip flexors and erector spinae are usually the ones that are tight, not weak, in this pattern.

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