Have you noticed that as people age, they develop an abnormal head forward posture? What is shocking is that with the advent of modern handphone and laptop devices the population with forward head posture is getting younger and younger. Did you know that when you bend your neck forward at varying angles the amount of pressure on the neck multiplies?
Research studies show varying percentages of patients presenting with forward head posture. One research study performed in 2020 shows that 73% of university students present with forward head posture (Singh, Kaushal, & Jasrotia, 2020). Other studies show a prevalence of 67% among university students (Ramalingam & Subramaniam, 2019) and 63% among adolescents ages 12 to 16 years of age (Verma et al., 2018).
Symptoms of Forward Head Posture
If you have forward head posture, you may be experiencing these symptoms, or can develop these symptoms later on:
- Neck pain: your neck feels tight or stiff
- Shoulder tightness: your shoulders feel tight, especially after a long day of work
- Headaches: you may experience headaches that can start in your neck and go up to your head
- Migraines: heightened sensitivity combined with poor posture may result in a migraine
- Jaw pain: you may experience clicking of your jaw or pain in the jaw
- Pain down your arm: you may experience pain that radiates from your neck down your arm to your hand
How Can Forward Head Posture Affect Your Health?
If forward head posture is left uncorrected, it may impact your health in multiple ways. For example, forward head posture may be a contributing factor to these health affects:
- Decreased neck range of motion: neck stiffness with difficulty moving your head to one side or the other.
- Respiratory dysfunction: long-term respiratory dysfunction can result in hyperventilation, mouth breathing, laboured chest breathing, and stress to your body.
- TMJ dysfunction: the temporomandibular joint is the joint in your jaw to open and close your mouth. Forward head posture may impact your jaw.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: pain in your wrist and hand can occur from spending many hours typing while sitting in poor posture.
- Impaired balance: the position of your neck impacts how your body balances upright. With forward head posture you have increased risk of falling.
Prevention Strategies
Simple switches to your posture habits can help you prevent postural distortion patterns. Focusing on improving your back, neck, and head posture to prevent forward head posture. A postural distortion pattern in one quadrant of your body can impact the alignment of the rest of your body.
We have helped some clients avoid spinal surgery with these approaches. Don’t delay.
Treatment Options
Postural correction treatment plans consist of 3 primary components: (1) Spinal Alignment (2) Posture Rehabilitation and (3) Posture Habit Re-Education.
This comprehensive program of postural correction will help you achieve a posture transformation to look better, move better, and feel better. Are you concerned that you are ageing prematurely and experiencing pain and headaches? We have helped some clients avoid spinal surgery with these approaches. Don’t delay. If you need help you can click HERE for a free assessment https://www.healthandwellnessassessment.com/0
We are here for you at the Sundardas Naturopathic Clinic.
Yours in Heath,
Prof Sundardas D Annamalay
Book a private consultation today and take control of your own health.
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