Your posture has been the center of attention ever since you started to walk. Stand up straight, sit up – we have all probably heard that at one time or another. It usually came from one parent or another, maybe even possibly both. Little did we know back then just how much that may have actually helped us. Your posture impacts more than just your spine, it has a ripple effect on your entire life. Our spines house and protect the entire nervous system. Our nervous system controls and coordinates the function of everything within the body. Poor neck posture changes the biomechanics of the spine and the way your body functions.

Did you know that for every inch your head moves forward, it is equivalent to adding 10 pounds that the neck muscles must hold up? As you are reading this, you may be staring down at a screen either in your hand or at your desk – as that is happening, your head is taken off the vertical plane and bent forward up to 45 degrees. If you do this for most of the day, the results can be excruciating. Below is a list of health issues that your posture may be contributing to.

1. Headaches

Forward or anterior head carriage is when the head is too far forward in relationship from the opening of the ear canal over the top of the shoulder. When the head moves too far forward, it results in immense pressure on the spinal nerves and muscles. With increased pressure on the nerves, especially in the upper part of the neck, symptoms like headaches occur. 95% of headaches are a result of neck problems.

2. Dizziness/ Vertigo

As the forward head carriage gets worse, further dysfunction within the upper cervical spine occurs and can result in vertigo or dizziness.

3. Neck Pain/Arm Pain

As stated earlier; for every inch your head moves forward it is adding an extra 10 pounds of weight that the neck muscles must account for. As the head continues to slowly move forward over time this also adds pressure and tension to the brachial plexus which sends nerves down the arms into the hands.

So what can you do to improve your posture?

1. Limit your time on electronic devices creating forward head posture (to avoid getting “Tech Neck”)
2. Reset your postural alignment each day by resting on a heated neck roll or sleeping on a pillow that will place the neck in proper alignment while you sleep.
3. Routinely visit your chiropractor. When it comes to your posture a chiropractor will identify the musculoskeletal stress on your spine and put together a course of action to help correct the posture and remove the stress to the nervous system.