Forward Head Posture
Over half of my clients come in with neck pain due to forward head posture. Ideally, we want our ears in a direct line with our shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Unfortunately, modern technology and gravity seem to be at odds with this alignment. We spend so much time at computers, on our phones, or slinking into a couch in front of a television. All these activities pull us out of our bodies and closer to a screen. When you add up all the hours our heads are craned forward, you wonder how they’re still attached at all!
The body was not meant to be at a computer 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Runners train for months to prepare their muscles for extreme use in marathons, yet no one ever thinks about the overuse of muscles during screen-time in that way. If you’re not doing anything to counterbalance this position, you’re essentially training the muscles on the front of your neck to shorten and pull your head forward. For every inch your head juts forward, an extra 10lbs of weight is added and gravity will aid in pulling you down. This puts excess strain on your spine, making your muscles have to work that much harder.
To oversimplify what is happening, you have muscles on the front of your neck that pull your head forward, and muscles on the back of your neck that extend it back. For optimal alignment you want equal tension on both sides to keep your skull balanced on the top of your spine. If that bowling ball of a head is constantly flexed forward it means the muscles on the front are pulling you in that direction and are constantly short and tight. The ones on the back are long and tight because they're overstretched like a rubber band trying to hold on for dear life. Add in the force of gravity and you can see how this is going to be a difficult battle to win if you don’t do something to intervene.
For many, this has been going on too long without intervention. Besides pain, you probably notice your posture has suffered. This does not mean you’re a lost hope. With exercise and lifestyle modifications, you can reverse these harmful effects and bring that head back into alignment. The key is consistency!
Prevention
In a yoga class, you will often hear an instructor talk about counterposes. This is when you do a pose of the opposite action of the last to balance the body. (ie: backbend/forward fold). For good joint flexibility, you need to be stretched in both opposite directions.
You need to start thinking this way when it comes to your posture. If your head is going to be craned forward towards a computer all day, be sure to spend some time with it extended back to decompress it. There are many ways to achieve this. One way is by laying down on your bed and letting your head fall back over the edge. There are also tools you can buy to help facilitate this directional force in a way that also cradles your cervical spine. This is one I like!
This is a Neck, Shoulder Relaxer, Traction Device. On my constant quest for good neck traction, I bought this new toy. It’s slightly more cushioned than some of the others, while still feeling firm while using. Sensitive necks may opt to put a towel on top to soften it up. There are 2 levels of traction. The wave facing you will be a gentler angle to recline your neck over. When that feels comfortable, turning it around will allow you go deeper into the stretch. All of the neck traction devices I’ve listed on this page have their merit. I like that this one cradles your neck more than some of the others. Regardless of which one you choose, if you have a computer job or one that requires you to be looking down all the time, you should really consider bringing a neck traction device into your life to protect the health of your spine. You can purchase it here!
Lifestyle Modifications
Changing how we interact with technology can also be beneficial to how we hold our head. Check your computer monitor. Make sure the top is at eye level and that it’s no more than an arms length in front of you. Texting and general phone use is another big one. Instead of bringing your head down to look at your phone, try keeping a heavy elbow by your side and bringing the phone up towards your face. Your neck will thank you!
Corrective Exercise
Since the muscles on the front of the neck are tight and short and the muscles on the back long and over-stretched, you need to stretch the front and strengthen the back.
Pain Management
Ok, so you’ve recognized the problem and are faithfully doing exercises to bring your head into a more neutral position. Unfortunately (because these things take time), you are still in pain. What do you do? Get a massage, of course! Sometimes you need a professional to loosen things up and help take the edge off. This being said, it’s also nice to have tools at your disposal that you can use on your own as pain arrises. My very favorite neck massager is the AccuMassager. It provides very targeted pressure without you having to exert a lot of force. It’s intuitive to use and also travel friendly. Even better, it can give those shoulder muscles a good squeeze! If you have neck pain, this will be the best $20 you spend to manage it. Purchase this device here.
Conclusion
Forward head posture takes time to correct and will require consistency. I promise you it’s worth the effort! Good posture is valuable to the health of your spine. Besides having less pain, your elderly self will thank you for letting them move with ease in your later years.