A majority of individuals frequently seek medical attention after experiencing constant pain and discomfort on their neck and shoulders, including repetitive headaches. While injury is believed to be one of the leading causes for cervical spine complications among the population, there’s another important and often overlooked factor that may be contributing to the individual’s gradual symptom development; posture.
The Result of Forward Head Posture
Forward head posture is the most common form of improper
posture responsible for neck and shoulder pain in many individuals. The head
weighs nearly the same as a bowling ball. When the head is placed in a further
forward position than normal, it adds an increasingly greater force on the
neck, much like when you hold a bowling ball away from you, it’s more difficult
to hold it.
The supplementary force from a forward head posture adds
even more stress on the cervical spine and increases the demands on the
surrounding muscles which function to hold the head upright. Imagine the
effects of the increased and sustained efforts from these muscles on the rest
of your body. The improper posture can often cause restrictions in blood flow
that cause a decrease of oxygen and energy delivery which can impede waste
removal. The neck ultimately suffers, causing stiffness as well as trigger
points that attribute to the well-known symptoms of head and neck pain along
with discomfort on other parts of the body.
The increased tightness resulting from forward head postures
can contribute to nerve compression as numerous nerves pass through the
surrounding muscles. Because these specific nerves also run down into the arm, any
type of neck complication can cause pain, tingling, and numbness on the
shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers.
Furthermore, rounded shoulders from an improper posture can
create a variety of shoulder complications. As the shoulder blades move
forward, they restraint the space the rotator cuff tendons have between two of
the bones found in the shoulder. The space restriction can lead to compression
of the cuff tendons, occasionally causing tears. Additionally, space is also
greatly limited between the clavicle and the first rib which in turn can close
down on important nerves and blood vessels, eventually causing radiating pain
and numbness all the way down into the fingers. Over time, improper posture can
also debilitate back and shoulder muscles because these are constantly being
stretched, causing them to lose their capacity to keep the shoulder joints in
movement without experiencing pain.
Correcting Forward Head Posture
The two most important components for correcting forward
head posture and rounded shoulders begin with you. Postural awareness and
frequent correction can greatly help an individual start to improve their
posture. Stretches and exercises can also play the important function of
postural correction. Strengthening exercises can help restore the original
flexibility of the muscles in order for the body to progressively and naturally
regain the strength the muscles need to pull you neck, shoulders, and back into
a proper posture while decreasing and even preventing any unwanted symptoms of
pain and discomfort.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
