Head Carriage

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Faulty head posture is a contributing factor in many health challenges:

    • Postural disturbances including altered atlas/axis position, decreased cervical curve, increased thoracic curve, increased first rib angle and other negative changes further down the spine

    • Cervical disorders including degenerative disk especially at C6-T1 and cervicogenic headaches of varying severity

    • Temporomandibular disorders such as TMJ and even developmental as mandible and mid-face deformities

Good posture is a state of muscular and skeletal balance that protects the supporting structure against injury and/or progressive deformity. Poor posture is a faulty relationship among various muscle groups which induces strain and is less efficient in balancing the body over its base of support.

The effects of faulty posture can be magnified when moving in a sport or any activity.

When the head is in its optimal postural position, it is centered and balanced and induces very little stress upon the cervical spine and supportive musculature.

The head on average makes up 7% of bodyweight. For a 175-pound male that equates to 12.25 pounds. The head is meant to rest atop the spine in a balanced position above one’s center of gravity. A minimal amount of work is required of the cervical muscles to maintain this position. Today we see many individuals, especially the youth and those spending multiple hours a day in front of a computer, tablet or phone, that manifest a forward head posture. The head is residing forward of their center of gravity. This places tremendous stress upon those cervical muscles as they attempt to stabilize and control the head.

If the head is forward one inch or 2.2 cm, the muscles of the cervical spine have to stabilize and control 12.25 pounds. 2 inches or 4.4 cm equates to 24.50 pounds. 3 inches or 6.6 cm is the equivalent of 36.75 pounds having to be supported by the rather small cervical muscles.

A migration forward of as little as 1.5 inches, if chronic, can cause hypermyotonia or sustained contraction of the cervical muscles resulting in ischemia or decreased blood flow to the brain Look around at your family, friends, co-workers and what do you see? How many people do you know with chronic head and neck pain?