Poor Posture in Evergreen

Do You Have
Forward Head Posture in Evergreen?

In the picture, the first sketch represents an ‘ideal’ head posture. A line dropped from, just in front of the ear, would land directly in the center of the shoulder. The sketches on the right demonstrate the progression of forward head posture (FHP).

According to Dr. Kapandji, (Physiology of the Joints, Volume III), for every inch your head moves forwards, it gains 10 - 12 pounds in weight, due to leverage. Therefore the muscles in your neck and upper back have to work that much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping onto your chest. This also forces the suboccipital (base of the skull) muscles to tighten putting pressure on the suboccipital nerves. This nerve compression may cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and irritability. Pressure on the suboccipital nerves can also mimic sinus (frontal) headaches.

Rene Cailliet M.D., the famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California (USC) states:

“Head in forwarding posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity. These breath-related effects are primarily due to the loss of the cervical lordosis, which blocks the action of the hyoid muscles, especially the inferior hyoid responsible for helping lift the first rib during inhalation.”

Persistent forward head posture (a.k.a “hyperkyphotic posture”) puts compressive loads upon the upper thoracic vertebra and is also associated with the development of Upper Thoracic Hump, which can devolve into a Dowager Hump when the vertebra develop compression fractures. A recent John Hopkins University study found this hyperkyphotic posture was associated with a 1.44 greater rate of mortality. “Shortened life span”.

It's not uncommon to observe 2" of forwarding head posture in our new patients. Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20-pound watermelon hanging around your neck? That's what forward head posture can do to you. Left uncorrected, FHP will continue to progress.

Chiropractic can be very beneficial in restoring good posture. Our specialty is restoring proper spinal alignment, this can reduce or even correct FHP and the symptoms associated with this chronic and common condition. Get checked TODAY!