Today’s subject is posture. Since the pandemic has caused so many people to be working from home, posture is a hot topic in my clinic. Most complaints about pain from working from home are due to lack of workspace or sitting slouched on the couch with a laptop to one side, but looking down while on your phone, carrying a heavy bag, or using too fluffy of a pillow at night can also be to blame.
As you sit or stand in a poor posture, muscles in the back and the neck tend to become overworked which causes them to spasm and eventually shorten. (1) This causes the neck to extend, and the head to come forward, making it harder to look up or lift the arms above the shoulders. The spasms in the muscles move the bones and pull the joints of the neck out of place.
According to the laws of physics, the further forward your head is, the heavier your head feels to your body. If your normal posture is that your head is forward 1 inch , then for an average weight adult, your body feels like your head weighs 22 pounds, and if your forward head posture is 3 inches, your head feels like it weighs 42 pounds! (2)
Over time, forward head posture can cause early degeneration of the discs in the neck and arthritis of the joints. (1) Obviously this results in neck pain, headaches, back pain, and potentially radiating arm pain from the neck.
So, if you are experiencing neck pain or headaches or you notice numbness in your arms or hands when sitting, driving, or sleeping, call our office today for an evaluation.
To schedule a thorough evaluation and treatment of your posture, call Solutions Chiropractic Clinic today.
- Forward Head Posture – Physiopedia. 2021. Available at <https://www.physio-pedia.com/Forward_Head_Posture>.
- Dalton, E. The 42 Pound Head. 2019. Available at <https://erikdalton.com/blog/the-42-pound-head/>.
