Chiropractic And Wellness Center - Chiropractor In Durham, NC USA :: Forward Head Posture

Posted on 2010-06-24 07:50:46

Forward head posture is a postural abnormality where the head is carried in an exaggerated forward position. Because of this abnormal position of the head, conditions such as tight muscles, headaches, or decreased range of motion of the neck can occur.

Picture an imaginary line that extends up from your shoulder from a side view. If the head of the individual your looking at is forward of this line, then they suffer from forward head posture. The reasons for this postural abnormality are many but the common causes are sitting at a computer, carrying heavy bags or back packs,

laziness and lack of exercise.

Computer use is the number one reason for forward head posture, especially the use of laptops. Most people use the computer on a daily basis, and some of us use it for more than eight hours a day. You can see how this is becoming an epidemic of seismic proportion.

Aside from poor posture and tight muscles, anterior or forward head posture can cause joint dysfunction. This is a condition that chiropractors treat on a daily basis. When a joint becomes dysfunctional and does not move correctly, chronic neck pain, back and shoulder pain or a pinched nerve can occur along with muscle tightness and spasms. We often treat the symptoms of forward head posture with muscle relaxers and over the counter pain medication, while overlooking the cause of these

symptoms.

Correcting forward head posture is not going to be accomplished over night. It takes time for the body to adapt to a new posture and correcting it on your own is very difficult. The First step: evaluate your work station or what you do daily. I always tell patients that your first line of defense is body awareness. If you work for a large company, have your work station ergonomically evaluated. Educate yourself with the ergonomics of your work area. Second step: exercise more and strengthen the muscles of your upper back and posterior neck. Limit the loads that are placed on your back (i.e.: heavy back packs). Third step:

get evaluated by your chiropractor, structural evaluation and postural analysis is what we do daily. We can give better insight on how to correct these problems. Joint manipulation is the first step in correcting postural abnormalities along with neck exercises to support the changes. If untreated over the years, significant arthritic changes and potential disc herniations can occur that can lead to debilitating pain with limited range of motion in the neck. Do you know who are the most at risk? Our children, who start at an early age on Play station, computers, texting on cell phones, and heavy back packs at school.

Do yourself and your family a favor, get evaluated for forward head posture. It can save you unneeded pain and unnecessary medications if detected early and corrected. Until next time, live life to the fullest!

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