Seeing changes in neck posture for patients that use a computer many hours a day is nothing new.  Often I find Forward Head Posture in patients who present to the office with complaints of neck and/or shoulder pain, headache, and possibly tingling and numbness into the arms and hands.  What is new, is the instances of having parents report that their children are having similar symptoms.  When we consider the amount of time that children are using mobile devices, then we begin to understand why they are feeling the same pains.  Children frequently texting, using tablet computers, or portable video games are being exposed to the same stresses as someone using a computer many hours a day.  And they are at risk for Forward Head Posture or “Text Neck.”

What is Forward Head Posture?

Forward Head Posture (FHP) is the chronic anterior positioning of the head relative to the shoulders.  FHP is caused by long periods of holding the head close to a computer monitor, viewing media on a desk, or in ones lap.  Poor sleeping posture, muscle imbalance, and other factors can contribute.  The longer the anterior head position is maintained, the more enduring FHP becomes.

A good way to illustrate the effect that FHP has on the spine and muscles of the upper back is to try holding a bowling ball or gallon of milk (approximate weight of the human head) close to your body with arms outstretched in front of you.  Clearly, it is much easier to hold the weight closer to your body.  Holding the weight with your arms ahead of you demonstrates the additional stress that your body endures to hold your head in FHP.

“For every inch of Forward Head Posture, it can increase the weight of the head on the spine by an additional 10 pounds^[1].”  As the head moves forward, the structures that support the head must bear the additional burden.

Forward Head Posture Risks

Research findings presented in 2009 at the 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society in Minneapolis, Minnesota indicated that “Over time poor posture results in pain, muscles aches, tension and headache and can lead to long term complications such as osteoarthirits.  Forward head carriage may promote accelerated aging of intervertebral joints resluting in degenrative joint disease^[2].”  Additional research has shown that FHP can contribute to loss of normal spinal curvature, disc compression and herniation^[3], muscle and nerve damage^[4], vascular disease, loss of lung capacity, and gastrointestinal disorders^[5]

Awareness, Improved Posture, Exercise, and Chiropractic

As use of mobile devices increases, the prevalence of FHP is likely to continue to grow in children and adults.  Dr. Fishman, a Florida chiropractor, has created “The Text Neck Institute” to educate the public about the dangers of FHP and help people find relief.  If you or your child suffer from headache, neck, and shoulder pains contact Matthews Chiropractic Center to evaluate the risk for FHP.

1. Kapandji, IA. The Physiology of the Joints: The Trunk and the Vertebral Column.  Vol. 3. London: Churchill Livingston, 1974.
2. 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, September 2-6, 2009.
3. American Journal of Pain Management, January 2008, 4:36-39.
4. Breig, Alf. Adverse Mechanical Tension in the Central Nervous System: An Analysis of Cause and Effect. 1978. Almqvuist & Wiksell International, Stockholm, Sweden. Pg 177.
5. Cailliet R, Gross L, Rejuvenation Strategy. New York, Doubleday and Co. 1987.

Science, Art, & Philosophy

The practice of chiropractic is based on three pillars:  Science, Art, and Philosophy.  The science of chiropractic is in understanding anatomy, physiology, radiology, and more.  Philosophical principles of chiropractic are that treatments should be drug-free, work with the body to maintain homeostasis, and nurture the body’s vital energy.  The Art of chiropractic is in the delivery of the adjustments that remove subluxation or align the spine, thereby restoring motion and removing irritation from the nervous system.

Doctors of Chiropractic locate and correct vertebral subluxations in a variety of ways.  Chiropractic treatments can be made in different ways and different patients favor particular techniques for assorted reasons.  No matter which technique is used, Chiropractic aims to harness the body’s innate ability to heal itself by removing restrictions to spinal movement and irritations or interference within the nervous system.

Finding Balance

Balance in the body does not simply mean staying on ones feet.  Equilibrium in the body means adaptability, like maintaining body temperature – shivering when we are cold and sweating when we are overheated.  When we get a minor cut for example, we don’t need medical attention, the skin has the ability to heal itself.  The body can repair a fractured bone, as long as alignment is maintained, without a trace of injury.

Restoring Motion through Misalignments

Chiropractors are trained to identify areas of spinal misalginments and make corrections to restore normal joint motion.  Healing does not always require intervention, but restrictions of joint movement in the spine can make it hard for us to move, hamper the flow of nerve signals, and reduce the body’s capacity for adaptation.  When the body has a hard time adapting, chiropractors can often revive its innate healing power.  So, no matter where you seek chiropractic care, the doctor will draw from the science, philosophy, and art of Chiropractic to help heal your body.

Contact Matthews Chiropractic Center today to get on the road to improved spinal health and total body wellness.

5 Ways that Exercise Can Help:

1. Reverse the negative effects of stress
2. Lift mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
3. Improve capacity for learning
4. Build Self-Esteem and improve body image
5. Euphoric feeling with intervals of high-intensity training

Dr. Ratey urges Americans to “bring movement [back] into our lives – to improve our children’s learning capacity, to reduce the negative effects of stress, to manage mental health issues such as ADD, anxiety, depression, and to maintain our cognitive abilities as we age.^[2]”

Exercise isn’t just good to help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, it can also make you happier and smarter.  As a chiropractor, I am continually promoting physical activity for health and maintenance of the spine, joints, and body.  In case anyone needed another reason to get moving – look no further!  Follow more of Dr. Ratey’s work at Sparking Life: Power Your Brain Through Exercise.  Jump into spring and exercise for your mind!

1. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/fitness/articles/2010/06/30/0630healthexercise
2. http://sparkinglife.org/