Is Forward Head Posture a Big Deal?
Poor posture doesn’t just make you look less confident. It also affects your health in very serious ways. When you maintain good posture, you keep your spine well-aligned and your nervous system healthy. Bad posture causes many health concerns that range from back pain to headaches, and can even include mood swings.
There’s a name for this condition: forward head posture (FHP). And the good news is you can (and should!) prevent it.
What Happens When You Have FHP?
Over time, if you don’t correct your posture, you could have very serious health problems like the following:
– Spinal stress, which pinches the nerves
– Hunched back, which creates great discomfort
– Reduction in mobility, where you have trouble moving your neck without pain
– Imbalances of the muscles, which leads to some muscles being tighter or looser than the others
– TMJ, which can become even more painful
What Causes FHP?
There are many causes of forward head positioning that can happen to you at any age. Office workers are the most at risk though because of hunching over the computer for hours and hours every day. Sometimes, this condition is caused by a trauma like whiplash in a case accident or a fall of some kind. You may find relief with extending your neck but that can lead to long-term pain and worsen your condition.
Carrying heavy bags and packs all the time can also lead to troubles. So too can bending over screens like smartphones and tablets. That means children can also be at risk for developing FHP.
With the boom in technology, it’s made us accomplish many things but it has also led to a more sedentary lifestyle. It’s important to recognize these problems now in order to prevent permanent damage. FHP is treatable so take the steps to better your health now.
How to Handle FHP
If you hunch over screens a lot or have had an injury that could affect your forward head posture, here’s what you can do about it.
– Adjust the position of your screens
At work, elevate your screen so that the top third portion of it is on eye-level.
– Use a support cushion
With a back support pillow, you can keep this at your lower back to give your spinal column more support.
– Stretch often
Get up from your computer every 30 minutes to take a break. Walk around and do stretches for your neck and spine.
– Get chiropractic care
A professional chiropractor can help set things straight…literally! They will help you correct forward head posture to avoid any other health complications.
Don’t have time to go to chiropractic treatments? Let them come to you! We specialize in quality in-home care that will help you live your healthiest life!
