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THE
DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF FORWARD HEAD POSTURE
A
Personal Letter from Drs. Brenda and Erik Slovin...
Correct
Posture With An “S”
When
you think of someone with good posture, you probably assume that person’s
spine is straight as an arrow. The truth is, however, human posture is
designed to have three specific curves, and those curves are absolutely
essential for healthy good posture.
So
where are these curves, and what are they designed to do?
The three curves in the human spine actually allow your body to carry
its own weight while also distributing that weight down through the pelvis.
They are front-to-back curves located in your neck, midway down your back
and in your lower back.
The curve in your neck is called the cervical curve, the one in your mid-back
is called the thoracic curve, and the curve in your lower back is the
lumbar curve.
Together, they form an “S” shape and provide perfectly correct
posture.
Are You Headed For Health Problems From Poor Posture?
When
the natural front-to-back spinal curves decrease, alignment is thrown
off and correct posture becomes impossible. If this decrease occurs in
the cervical curve, the result is a condition referred to as forward head
posture.
Forward head posture is an increasing health problem in today’s
computer-driven society, as we sit for hours on end slumped over computers.
Forward head posture robs its victims of normal range of motion, of muscle
strength, of natural neck protection, of long joint life, vital lung capacity,
and of emotional and healthy vitality as the body ages.
Dangers
Of Forward Head Posture
Forward
head posture can cause painful TMJ, a diminished vital lung capacity of
as much as 30 percent, limited range of motion and an extreme distortion
of the spine called a Dowager’s Hump.
Forward head posture also puts a constant strain on your body’s
joints. This kind of continual stress causes joints to be highly susceptible
to the ravages of arthritis.
To
get an idea of how damaging forward head posture can be, consider that
for every one inch that your head moves forward from its normal, healthy
alignment, an additional 15 to 30 pounds of tension is placed on your
neck muscles.
That kind of added muscle tension compares to walking around 24 hours
a day - every day - with a watermelon dangling from your neck!
Backpacks Encourage Poor Posture
The
next time your child heads out the door to school, take a moment and pick
up his backpack.
You might be shocked at how heavy it really is. Carrying heavy loads like
this places damaging stress on a child’s growing skeletal frame,
and many times encourages forward head posture.
To drive this point home, a recent study assessed 1,000 students ranging
in age from 12 to 18 years. It was determined that when these students
carried heavy backpacks, negative posture changes occurred.1
To
help protect your child from the harmful effects of forward head posture,
make sure that his backpack weighs absolutely no more than 10 to 15 percent
of his body weight. In other words, if your youngster weighs 100 pounds,
his backpack should weigh a maximum of 10 to 15 pounds.2
Now
For Some Good Posture News
Chiropractic
treatment has had great success in correcting forward head posture, as
well as the ill effects of other types of poor posture.
In one forward head posture study, every one of the patients who received
chiropractic care showed statistically significant improvements in both
head angle and pain ratings.
What’s more, chiropractic treatment enabled these patients to maintain
correct neck curvature long-term. Now that is good posture news.
References:
1. Spine 1999:24:2262
2. Spine 2004;29:2184-90
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Slovin Chiropractic Center
205 Main Avenue, Norwalk CT, 06851
Phone: 203-840-0000
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