Upper crossed syndrome can be identified by which physical feature?

• A. Hypermobile joints
• B. Rounded shoulders
• C. Protracted elbows
• D. Flat feet

Answer: (B)

Upper crossed syndrome arises from a muscular imbalance where the chest and front shoulder muscles are tight while the upper back and deep neck flexors are weak. This mismatch pulls the shoulders forward and causes the upper back to round, giving a distinctive rounded-shoulder posture. That visible rounded-shoulder appearance is the best indicator because it directly reflects the anterior-posterior muscle balance issue at the shoulder girdle. The other options don’t fit this pattern: hypermobile joints describe ligament laxity rather than a postural imbalance; protracted elbows aren’t a standard feature of UCS; and flat feet pertain to the feet and don’t reveal the upper-body muscle imbalance characteristic of this syndrome.