Fitness: Workouts

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Lower-crossed syndrome - stretch

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles. Causes: your buttocks to stick out during squats and wears down your vertebrae, causing bulging discs, slipped discs and nerve damage.

By Words: Steve Mazzucchi Photos: Blake Little

November 2003



Hip flexors - Restores upright posture in the lumbar spine. Place your left knee on the floor and your right foot out in front of you. Position your hips in neutral (back not arched or rounded), draw your belly button in and tighten your right glute. You'll feel the stretch in your right upper thigh. For a deeper stretch, lean forwards. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch legs. Repeat twice.

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Pronation distortion syndrome - massage

Symptoms: knock-knees and overpronation (rolling in) of the feet. Occurs: when you have tight calves and tight inner thighs, with weak glutes, peroneals (the outside of the lower leg), hamstrings and middle quads.

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Pronation distortion syndrome - strength

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Pronation distortion syndrome - stretch

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Lower-crossed syndrome - massage

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles.

View workout

Lower-crossed syndrome - strength

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles.

View workout

Lower-crossed syndrome - stretch

Symptoms: a sway-back. Occurs: when you have tight hip flexors, calves, quadriceps and hamstrings combined with weak glutes and lower abdominal muscles.

View workout

Upper-crossed syndrome - massage

Symptoms: head forwards, shoulders rounded. Occurs: when you have tight pecs, neck and front shoulder muscles as well as weak upper back and rear shoulder muscles.