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My right wrist went to the ground no problem. But, my left wrist would not. With some effort of picking up my shoulder I could get it down on the ground.
just make sure you’re not letting your lower ribs flare to get the wrist flat. the key is keeping your mid to low back (back support zone) connected to the floor!
Thanks for your report. Solutions are coming!
Watching the video, I thought “no problem”.
When I got down on the floor I was surprised to notice that I really had to concentrate to keep my mid-low back connected to the floor while working on getting my wrists closer to the floor.
Looking forward to the exercises for this.
I was able to get my wrists almost to the floor (within a 1/2in) but my neck is quite far from the floor. My back remained flat when I forced my wrists lower, I felt the tension across my armpit area. I truly don’t think I could get my neck closer, however, due to the shape of the back of my head.
No problem for the left side. The right side lower ribs could not touch the ground. The piriformis exercise worked fine, and is effective. The piriformis exercise is more effective then any others I have tried on the net. Then the right side ribs got tight. The massage therapist said that it was the spinal erector muscles. When I did the upper crossed test, my left side ribs touched the ground, but my right side ribs did not. Hope you have an easy exercise to correct this. Thank you for your help.
I could not get my forearms flat on the ground. left side was higher than right. I could only get my ribs flat if I intentionally flexed my back down. I have a really curved spine though and have been suffering from low back,neck,shoulder pain for two years due to work injury. I have also been taking bikrum yoga for two years regularly as well. Hopefully you can help me solve my pain problems.
hi! I wanna know more about crossed posture syndrome. Specificlly, about tests. Is this test the unic to make this diagnosis? Do you have a protocole of it? Thanks Dr. Thank you for helping me.
this test is very diagnostic for UCS. A combination of posture evaluation and muscle tension tests like this one will do the trick. see Professor Vladimir Janda’s work for more details on upper and lower cross. some is dated so go more toward the new czech school methods with Pavel Kolar et al. google praque school rehabilitation. very important for a new physical therapist. Craig Liebenson’s “Rehabilitation of the Spine” is your most comprehensive text. PLUS…you’ll learn a LOT with this mini-series!
I was able to almost get my wrists down. They were a half inch off of the floor. My ribs were flat on the floor but I need help with the wrists.
Overall, I could get into the angel position. When I really tried to make the back of my hand fully touch the floor, I felt my ribs creep up a bit.
I had a very hard time focusing on the ribs down, shoulders touching the floor, and my right wrist staying down. I was just in so much pain.
You got me: I can’t get my wrists down (and standing, can’t reach vertically or very high), and can’t cross my a leg sitting comfortably, and can’t do the lunge very far. I’m the Tin Man. Where’s Dorothy?
Amazing after trying test #1, it takes some concentration to stay in that position. It also lets me know what areas need to be worked on. Can’t wait for test #2. By the way, the snow shoving video was fun to watch from here in Florida. I will try it out shoving some sand. Thanks. Oh yeah, I like the gloves too!
My hands touch but my wrists don’t. Only about a half inch. If I forced them down I felt my ribs wanting to raise ever so slightly. Being a professional acrobat, I would love to know if this is a hindrance to shoulder flexibility as I need flexibility for my aerial ballet moves.
Could not get those wrists down on the floor! Forearms made it there but the wrist itself was the half inch away that many others have mentioned. I’ve known for many years that my posture is bad and now lower back pain has started to be bothersome. I’m looking forward to learning how to change my ways and make some improvements.
difficult but I did it.
For an old fart (44) I guess I did alright! One problem was that my right upper arm was starting to hurt, but the wrists were down, ribs were down, head straight, and everything else you mentioned checked out ok!
well I thought this would also be no problem but after getting on the floor and trying it both wrist were slightly off the ground. If I tried to slowly push them down I could feel the TENSION in my back. It was weird to be able to feel it. Looking forward to seeing how to fix this issue with my body.
Thought this would be easier, my left wrist is about 4″ from the floor and my right wrist about 2″. I didn’t try to force it just let gravity do the work.
Dr. Steve, I am 26 years old and have had severe upper back pain/numbness since high school. I just tried this test and I can’t even get my arms down without being in pain. My elbows touch but I cannot get my forearms down or my wrists. It is sooooooo painful. Will home exercises be able to help me?
Many things can create upper back pain and numbness. If any of the moves in this series recreates or exacerbates your original pain, stop and seek an evaluation from a qualified rehab minded chiropractor or other practitioner.
But if the pain is simply stretching in your pecs in the front of your shoulder, then continue. The coming exercises will help you develop more efficient movement patterns and take some strain off your back.
Let me know how it goes! -drsteve
after watching the video i figured no worries, i’m flexible too. play golf and exercise regularly, but did have back surgery to remove broken bone hanging in the L5 nerve canal, and L5S1 are fusing naturally, no disc left there either. nonetheless, its my left wrist that is nearly an inch off the floor and right wrist is up but not as high, perhaps half inch.
please advise as to where i can find more info as to correct it ? also what are the implications of not being like Rebecca and all points touching ? why my left side more than right side ?
thank you. by the way any suggestions for me here in Moscow Russia as to a therapist ?
My Partner and I both tried this test, and only after being told,that we could still put a hand underneath.Did we realize just how far from the ground our ribs were. So far, I am quite interested in upcoming tests and excercises, as most PT and Chriopracters we have seen. Have not heard of crossed syndrome. Thank you
I discovered your website late last night and tried the floor angel position this morning and found that I could not get either of my wrists to lie flat. I have had two discectomies between L4 and L5 and avoided a third surgery which wanted to fuse the two vertabra together by doing a “trunk rehabilitation” program. I would like to learn more about Crossed Posture Syndrome as I feel this will be key in managing the pain. Thank you so much!
I was surprised. I thought I would be able to do it but the back of my neck was not touching and my wrists were about a 1/2 inch off the floor. I could force my wrists but not my neck.
Not so good. If I keep my back (relatively) flat on the floor, my neck is at a terrible angle and my hands will not touch the floor. I definitely need fixed.
I had no problem with the wrists and the back but had quiet alot of arch in my neck still.
I am old (53), overweight and out of shape, but have been told I have good posture. I figured trying this I would look like a pretzel, so I was stunned, when I laid down next to a full length mirror so I could see what was touching and what was not, to find that I was able to perform this easily with only a very tiny arch in my neck. Eagerly awaiting next lower back installment of these tests as most of my problems are lower back and hip related. By the way found your site and tried the back pain relief video. After only 3-4 minutes the constant pain, muscle tension and rigidity I have had running from the top of my hips across the top of my buttocks for several years was much improved. I was, in fact, actually able to massage this area for the 1st time in recent memory without this muscle feeling like it was made of stone. Thanks so much!!!
I was able to do what you instructed Rebecca to do.
I tried the test, and was surprised, my wrists touched the ground, and my ribs stayed down. Granted I had the intention, so that was in innovator. Before finding this site, I’m not sure I wo uld keep my ribs down to the ground.
Thank you
Magic word…INTENTION!
My wrist went down all but an inch. When I pushed them to the floor by back went up about an inch.
When I did it again I found my left wrist is the only one that is not flat on the floor.
Core to the floor, right wrist lacking 1 inch, left wrist lacking 4 inches. Some pain across my left shoulder. Neck seemed to be in the proper position. I have been having some popping in my neck. I would have bet I could lie down and place both wrist on the floor, glad I didn’t bet. What next?
I was somewhat surprised that my wrists did stay on the ground. My neck was definitely not flat though.
did this with no problem. am 81 and have been doing yoga for 40 years. however, i tend to curl forward and inward when walking. maybe it’s just age.
With concentration, could get left wrist & arm flat, but entire right arm remained floating in the air! That right shoulder was all but “frozen” a couple years back, after a jerking injury (I think) but massage therapy helped quite a bit. Is there hope still?
hope? YES…absolutely.
lower ribs on floor: OK … right wrist on floor: contact is made … left wrist on floor: no way; it’s in orbit!
back of neck: didn’t make it to floor
Maybe I’m not too far gone yet. As a gymnastics coach for over 40 years I’ve been aware of the forward shoulder roll as well as psoas and low back tightness and have worked periodically on stretches. I can push my low back to the floor. Wrists are up about an inch but I can push them down without arching my back. The neck is definitely up. This is great. I’ve been concerned about headaches for years, and I know they’re from stress!
WOW ! I couldn’t even get my upper arms/elbows on the floor ! Too much weight training I think. Have just discovered your site and am blown away. Talk about hitting the spot. I thought I looked good for my age (weight trainig and running) but have always been aware of back problems and lack of mobility/flexibility. I can relate to everything you say: as a result I’m going to radically change my fitness/health/lifestyle … beginning with lots of self-analysis, based upon your advice. A BIG THANK YOU !!! I only wished that I was in the USA as opposed to the UK so that I could visit your practice. Thank you.
I can make my ribs connect and almost get my wrists to do it – but it’s not the natural form. Just relaxing on the floor, my ribs don’t connect to the floor and there’s about 1/2 an inch between my wrists and the floor. Neck seems to be fine. I do struggle with tingling in my hands an carpal tunnel, among other things. what’s the answer?
@kris Focus on the foam angels in the fundamental exercises you’ll get soon. Good luck!
I was able to move into this position easily, with ribs down as you demonstrated. What I noticed was my left pectoral muscle(I think) was feeling stretching pain. both hands were comfortably down, neck positon correct, and ribs down. this “pain” was only on the left side, the muscle that runs across the front of the shoulder from the chest. Not sure if that is the pectoral or not.
My wrists were about 3 to 5 inches from the floor.
I found this extremely difficult to do, I could feel a great stretch right across my chest.
Got into position easily with wrist on floor, neck in position ribcage to floor, but noticed a slight pain in my upper back just under my shoulderblades. This is where I’m having most of my problem for past 5 mos.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTS AND EXERCISES. FOR THIS TEST I WAS ABLE TO BRING MY RIBS TO THE FLOOR KEEP MY CHIN DOWN AND ARMS IN POSITION WITH WRISTS ABOUT AND INCH FROM THE FLOOR. WHEN I TRIED TO PUT MY WRISTS TO THE FLOOR MY RIBS FLARED UP. MY NECK THOUGH IN POSITION FELT STRAINED.
I could get my arms into that position but there was a gap with both wrists. I really had to concentrate to keep my lower ribs on the floor.
I had no problems with this test but have nerve pain down the back and outside of my left leg. Your piriformis stretch you have posted gave short term relief but was wondering about the week hip muscles you mentioned. Do you have a test for the hip/sciatica?
Thanks
Tried it and as I pushed my ribs down, back gave a slight pain. Hands almost straight, about 1″ from floor.
I am in the same boat as Todd (see above) I have had sciatica since I was pregnant (2 years ago). I have always felt that my body mechanics changed when I was pregnant and now I don’t walk or stand the same. From research I have done online it seems like the pain is coming from my SI joint. I have an MRI scheduled this week and am supposed to see a pain specialist soon for a possible epidural medications. I’m fine if my body requires that initial treatment in order for me to be able to regain strength and appropriate posture, but I don’t know what I should do in order to do that 😉
@Todd Exercises are diagnostic. The ability to stand on one leg without the aid of your buttocks is diagnostic for weak deep hip stabilizers. The entire “Do This First” Organic Posture Course is designed to wake up these deep stabilizers and reduce strain and possibly even your sciatic symptoms.
@Charity The free “fundamentals” exercise should get you started but the posture course will be comprehensive and approach your problem in a more holistic way. Look for a chiropractor who does soft tissue work like Active Release Technique, Graston, or other. Also ask if the practitioner does rehab as well (would be especially great if he or she was aware of the crossed posture syndromes!)