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Tech Neck – Forward Head Posture

The major cause for PAIN in the Neck, Shoulder and Upper Back

Do you have any of these symptoms?

  • Tension-type headaches or migraines, sometimes accompanied by dizziness
  • “Knots” in your neck muscles and between your shoulder blades
  • Sore, tight muscles in your chest
  • General irritability
  • Poor sleep quality
  • Numbness or tingling in the arms and/or hands

This long list of ailments can be attributed to poor posture, particularly poor neck posture. If left untreated, it can lead to years of chronic pain.

What is Forward Head Posture?

Simply put, Forward Head Posture is an example of bad posture. It is one of the most common posture problems. And our modern lifestyle is to blame.

Our ancestors weren’t sitting in front of a computer all day. They didn’t have smartphones to look down at as well. They stood tall and had a Strong Posture, with their shoulders back, and their heads in a neutral position.

Our modern lifestyle is responsible for most of the posture problems we experience today, not just FHP.

A Forward Head Posture, or Tech Neck can be the result of repetitive forward head movement. Or holding the head in a position where the ears are forward of the shoulder. In order to fix a Forward Head posture, you have to address your overall posture, from the ground up.

But what does correct, or Strong Posture look like? Strong Posture is when your ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and ears all fall along the same vertical line.

Your head is not light. It weighs approximately 10 to 11 pounds. It is supposed to rest on your neck and shoulders like a golf ball on a tee. That’s its natural position. This is called “Ears Over Shoulder” or “EOS.”  When someone has a Forward Head Posture, this places a tremendous amount of neck strain as well as the list of symptoms mentioned above.

Common Causes of Forward Head Posture

Besides sitting I front of computer and looking down at your cell phone, here are a few bad habits that may also cause a Forward Head Posture that you should be aware of:

  • Looking down while typing or reading,
  • Looking into a microscope,
  • Sitting improperly with rounded shoulders and a hunched back,
  • Driving with your head more than 2 to 3 inches away from the headrest, and
  • Carrying a backpack or heavy purse slung over one shoulder

According to the Mayo Clinic, FHP leads to “long-term muscle strain, disc herniation, arthritis, and pinched nerves.” Pinched nerves, tight shoulder and neck muscles can cause blood stagnation. Blood stagnation can lead to a toxic buildup in your system. This toxic buildup caused by blockage or stagnation is a leading cause to chronic pain.

Here are 3 Neck Exercises to Correct Forward Head Posture

And the best part is you can do them right at home.

Do them as directed, and you’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll go from someone with bad posture to someone with good posture who no longer suffers with chronic pain (or FHP!):

Lying Head Raise:
Lie face down on the floor, with your hands overlapped and held on your lower back. Lift and extend your head and shoulders up, while squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold for three seconds, and repeat 10 to 15 times. Do this two to three times per day.

Chin Tuck:
Hold your shoulders straight in a neutral position. Stick your chin out to the front, hold for three seconds. Pull your chin in as far back as it will go, hold for three seconds. Repeat six times. Do this three times per day.

Doorway Stretch:
Stand with both feet parallel in the center of a doorframe. With your elbows in approximately a 90-degree bend, place both hands on the doorframes. With soft knees, slowly lean forward until you feel a very slight stretch across your chest. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds. Repeat three times. Do this two to three times per day.

How to prevent Forward Head Posture

Here are a few tips that you can make to your daily activities that will help  prevent FHP:

  • Make sure the top of your computer screen is level with your eyes and about two feet away from your face.
  • Be sure to carry backpacks squarely over both shoulders to balance the weight distribution.
  • If you carry a heavy purse or duffel bag, it is better to sling it diagonally across the torso.
  • Make sure to take standing breaks when you have to sit for prolonged periods. This also applies to when you are in an airplane.

At this point, you should have a pretty good understanding of what causes Forward Head Posture and how to prevent it. You’ve also learned some great exercises to correct Forward Head Posture. For an everyday resource that on takes 90 seconds, download and sign up for a 7 day free trial of the popular 90 Second Strong Posture App.

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