Forward head posture (FHP) is a common postural fault where the head moves from its natural position directly over the spine to sit forward of the shoulders.
It’s also known as ‘text neck’ thanks to our modern habit of looking down at electronic device screens (and texting)!
Chiropractors typically address it by improving overall spinal alignment, adjusting the underlying musculoskeletal system, and making lifestyle recommendations.
In this blog post, I explain what forward head posture is, discuss its causes, symptoms, the health effects it can have, and, most importantly, how chiropractic care can offer relief from its symptoms.
If you’re interested, the scientific term for FHP is ‘anterior head translation’ or ‘anterior head carriage.’ Its formal definition is ‘the forward protrusion of the head from its natural position over the cervical spine.’
In layperson terminology, this means a postural condition where the head is positioned slightly forward in relation to the shoulders.
Outside the medical community, it goes by various descriptive names, including the common ‘text neck’. Most of these names clearly underscore FHP’s link to contemporary technology and lifestyle behaviours! They include ‘nerd neck,’ ‘iNeck’ (thanks to smartphones!), ‘computer neck,’ and ‘turtle neck.’
However, FHP was around long before electronic devices came into widespread use so, to be fair, they’re not the only things that cause it.
Apart from excessive electronic device use, FHP can be caused by a variety of things including:
We often take our posture for granted, but the reality is that it impacts our health and wellbeing more than we realise. In particular, our head and its impressive weight come with hidden costs to our posture.
When the head sits where it is supposed to – in the centre of our shoulders directly above our cervical spine – the musculoskeletal system absorbs its weight correctly. Our body is balanced and our dynamic balance system functions as it should.
When our head creeps forward (think about your neck position when texting or gaming), it throws our whole centre of gravity off.
In fact, here’s a scary statistic to take on board – for every inch, or 2.54cms, our head moves in front of our shoulders, that’s an additional 10 lbs, or 4.5kgs, of weight our neck has to support!
Understandably, then, if we sit for hours or continually walk around with this forward head position, it can easily strain our neck muscles and joints; and affect our mood and energy levels.
It also adds stress to our shoulders generally and our spine. This can lead to broader muscle strain, headaches, pain, stiffness, and other health issues like nerve compression. Over time, we may develop chronic pain and lose our full range of motion in affected muscles.
The symptoms of FHP vary from person to person because so many things can contribute to it. Sufferers may therefore experience any or all of the following:
Understandably, forward head posture can have a significant impact on our overall health and wellbeing. In addition to causing pain and discomfort, FHP can even interfere with your:
If left untreated, it may then result in a cascade of more severe issues like degenerative disc disease, herniated discs, compressed nerves, and arthritis in the neck joints. However, by identifying and addressing FHP early on, you can prevent these negative health effects from worsening over time
Unfortunately, though, common as it is, many people don’t know FHP exists, much less recognise they may have it. So, they remain blissfully unaware of its impact on their health!
Chiropractic care offers a natural and effective way to combat FHP by focusing on restoring proper alignment to the spine, and musculoskeletal system. This helps improve posture and may assist with alleviating FHP symptoms.
Your chiropractor will perform a thorough evaluation to identify if you have FHP. They will then identify the underlying causes of your condition and develop a customised treatment plan to address them.
This may include chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue therapy and lifestyle recommendations to improve posture and strengthen the shoulders.
While chiropractic care is a powerful tool for FHP, there’s more to good posture than just adjustments. Simple exercises like chin tucks and stretches can strengthen your neck muscles and keep your head supported. Yoga and Pilates can also help build resilience and prevent future hunches.
Forward head posture is a common postural issue that can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing.
Chiropractic care provides a natural and effective approach to correcting forward head posture, alleviating pain, and improving overall posture.
Ewell Chiropractic
9A Cheam Road, Ewell, Epsom KT17 1SP
Our practice is next to the central car park in the Ewell village if you travel by car. And just a 10-minute wander from both train stations in Ewell.
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