Head Up, Young Person!

So this week has been a tough one so far. I’ve seen a lot of clients really hurting with upper back and neck pain. When I find myself making notes on who to send which video or exercise to I start to think it’s time for another self-care post.

I considered making this another round up of videos similar to the sciatic pain post, but it occurred to me that a discussion on awareness might be a better place to start.

Specifically, awareness about head forward position. Head forward is something that is talked about a lot and I know you’ve seen the 42 pound head graphics. I don’t know if my noggin weighs 42 pounds when I’m working on the computer, but I know it wreaks havoc on my upper back, neck and between my shoulder blades when I spend too much time with my head unaligned with my spine. And really that is all head forward position is about, the head not being aligned over the spine. In addition to the head, neck and upper back pain, head forward position can cause pinched nerves, rotator cuff issues and tight pectoralis muscles. Fun stuff, NOT!

So awareness being the key to combating head forward position, I’ve put together a list of times or activities I’ve caught myself or observed others with our heads hanging out in not so great positions.

Washing your hair

Next time you jump in the shower to wash your hair take a minute to notice where your head is while you’re shampooing away. Does your head hang down in front of your chest? If so, try lifting your head into an upright position and letting your arms reach up to your head. That’s three minutes you’re not in a head forward posture!

Brushing your teeth

Are you bending down over the sink? If so, stand up and bring your brushing hand up to finish the task. That’s three or four more minutes you’re not in a head forward posture! See where we’re going with this?

Driving

This one is a biggie. I see it all the time while driving. Someone zips by with their seat back slung way back and they’re neck is at a 45º+ angle. This is a different type of head forward position, but it’s still stressing all those back, neck and upper trap muscles. Think about how much time you spend driving with your neck bent.

Watching TV

You would think that relaxing and watching tv would be a no-brainer for head forward position, but I do it all the time. I’ll be sitting, enjoying a show, and suddenly realize I’m hurting. That’s when it occurs to me I must look like a turtle peeking out of his shell.

Side sleeping (fetal position)

Again you’d think sleeping would be a no-brainer, but it was the last bastion of neck pain for me. It took a long time to figure out, but my neck pain finally got so bad it was waking me up in the middle of the night. I would move and align my neck and head with my spine and the pain would stop. After a few weeks of trying to be really conscious of how I was sleeping the pain started to resolve. I even had relief down into my low back from changing my sleeping posture. There’s 6 to 8 hours more your neck could be in a painful position.

Texting or working on the computer

For texting or using a handheld device, try raising your hands and the device up to eye level instead of looking down. For computer use, raise the monitor to eye level. If you’re like me, even then you’ll have to guard against leaning the head forward in anticipation of all the goodness that monitor is going to deliver.

Studying

It’s all about the looking down with the studying. Try raising the book with a desktop book stand to get the head in more of an upright position.

Walking

I had never thought about head forward position in relation to walking, but recently I went to a walking track and watched several people who were walking for fitness with extreme head forward posture. All I could think of was whether their neck and back hurt all the time.

Now That You Know!

So now that I’ve inundated you with a bunch of ways to be more aware of where your head is in the universe, here are a few tips to help start getting the head aligned over the spine.

• Drop your chin. This seems counterintuitive, but by dropping the chin a primal reflex kicks in causing you to automatically adjust your neck so your eyes point forward
• Set your cellphone to alert you several times a day to check where your head is. Just being reminded to check in will help with long term awareness
• Press your head back into your pillow, headrest, the couch, etc. a couple times a day, be gentle these muscles may not have been activated in a while
• Get a massage or do some self-massage on the upper back (foam roller, tennis balls, etc.)
• Read this article about Cracking the Walnut and try strengthening your upper back
• Imagine having a string attached to the top of your head and that someone is pulling you upright. Use this visualization to adjust your posture several times a day until it begins to feel natural.

So I hope these suggestions and tips help you to be more aware of the position of your head and neck and also help you increase the amount of time you live with better alignment. The end game is less pain through healthy choices and smarter posture.

Be good to yourself and as always my table is available to you if you need me!

♥

Harvest Moon Massage Therapy is Decatur’s Only Master Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapist!