Forward Head Posture

[Dr Kalla]

This term is used when your head is shifted forward in relation to your body. Unfortunately it does not only give you the ‘turtle neck’ look in severe cases, but even in the milder cases you there is a markedly increased strain on the neck.

It has been reported that the load on the neck increases by a factor 1x for every inch that your head is shifted forward. For example, a normal head weighs about 10 pounds, so if the head is shifted forward just ONE inch, the load on your neck is 20 pounds. TWO inches forward and the load is equivalent of 30 pounds of load and that is a dramatic increase of strain on your neck.

Forward Head posture is a common reason for neck, shoulder aches and pain and even tension headaches.

[mussorgsky]

This term is used when your head is shifted forward in relation to your body. Unfortunately it does not only give you the ‘turtle neck’ look in severe cases, but even in the milder cases you there is a markedly increased strain on the neck.

It has been reported that the load on the neck increases by a factor 1x for every inch that your head is shifted forward. For example, a normal head weighs about 10 pounds, so if the head is shifted forward just ONE inch, the load on your neck is 20 pounds. TWO inches forward and the load is equivalent of 30 pounds of load and that is a dramatic increase of strain on your neck.

Forward Head posture is a common reason for neck, shoulder aches and pain and even tension headaches.

Thus, how do we correct that? By pure massge or spine manipulation? Will this be a form of habit that is difficult to correct?

[Dr Kalla]

If one has forward head posture it is advisable to get an x-ray done of the neck and examine it. Once that is done some therapists know how to fix the neck. Unfortunately, massage or pure spinal manipulation of the neck is not going to correct forward head posture.

[Dr Kalla]

If you look at this correct cervical lordosis post on this forum you can see before and after x-ray images of a forward head posture that I corrected for a patient in Five weeks.

I wish that mere massage and spinal manipulation could have done that, but it requires more work than that.