Anterior or forward head posture is when your head is shifted in front of your shoulders, instead of being properly vertically aligned. (*Your ear should be in direct vertical alignment with your shoulder). We see this posture pretty much every day in our clinic!
Most people are becoming more aware of their posture these days, and often come to see us with a desire to correct their forward head posture. Sometimes it’s based on appearance, but in some cases people are already feeling the negative effects of their poor neck alignment.
Here are 4 of the more common health effects of forward head posture:
- Decreased neck muscle endurance and strength.
This is why your head can feel very heavy at times, or why you have tension or a burning sensation in your shoulder and upper back muscles. - Increased headache frequency.
The abnormal muscle function resulting from a forward head can lead to tension headaches, and the interrupted cervical nerve function can also cause headaches and migraines. - Increased risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.
In some cases, symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are actually driven by dysfunctional nerves in the neck. Lower cervical nerves branch down to the forearm, wrist, and hand, and these lower nerves are under increased strain and pressure with a forward shifted head. - Decreased vital lung capacity.
Try this – protrude your head far forward and try to take a nice deep breath. Really try to fill your lungs. Now, retract your head back over your shoulders and take the same deep breath. Feel the difference? Imagine the effect on your breathing over many years if that forward head shift isn’t corrected.
Only a properly trained Chiropractor can take the correct spinal x-rays, analyze them for postural deformities, and prescribe a plan of care to correct the problem at its root. And that’s what we do here at Hazeldean Family Chiropractic Clinic!