Forward Head Posture

Ideally, the head should sit directly on the neck and shoulders, like a golf ball sitting on a tee. As the head protrudes forward to accommodate our daily activities, an increased load is placed on the muscles of the neck and upper back. Since the weight of the head is similar to that of a bowling ball (12-14 pounds), you can easily see just how much strain we are talking about. In fact, for every inch that the head projects forward, the weight experienced by the muscles of the neck doubles. For example, if the head weighs 10 pounds, 2 inches of forward head posture would result in the equivalent of 40 pounds of strain placed on the muscles of the neck! Our necks were designed to hold 10-14 pounds – not 40 or more pounds!

Treatment for Forward Head Posture

The chiropractic approach to Forward Head Posture is to relieve muscle and ligament tension by restoring the proper C-shaped curve of the neck. Because forward head posture occurs slowly over time, techniques involving sustained loading (application of sustained pressure in a specific direction) are often coupled with chiropractic adjustments and muscle rehabilitation. Enhancing the flexibility of the muscles of the front of the neck is also an effective strategy often overlooked by other practitioners.