I am sure you have all heard the trendy term "text-neck" being thrown around social media and news outlets. This condition has been known by chiropractors as "forward head carriage" for a long time! This is a postural condition brought on by excessive head flexion, i.e. looking down at your phones, computers, keyboards, etc. for extended periods of time. This can put strain on certain muscle groups and cause other muscle groups to become tight. You may experience general soreness, strain, spasm,
trigger points, tightness, or even headaches.
Flexing your head forward can increase strain on your neck by 40+ pounds!!!
Luckily, there are a few simple fixes for this!
1. Raise your device to eye level and look forward:
2. Stretch the hypertonic (tight) muscles at the base of your skull with cervical retractions a few times a day, 6-10 or reps with a 10-second hold with overpressure. I lovingly refer to these as the "double-chin exercise". Keep your neck as straight as possible when performing these exercises. You can use a backstop or car headrest to aid your stretch. You should feel a stretch under the base of your skull in the back of the neck. When you get good at it, you can add in neck rotation for added benefit!
With these simple tips and conscious awareness of the issue, you can help combat these
postures that may or may not lead to problems down the road. We spend so many hours each day in harmful postures, why not add in an exercise to help benefit and balance your spine?
Schedule today: If you would like to schedule a patient for this or any other complaint, please call the office at 315-342-6300 or visit https://www.licatesechiropractic.com/ to schedule today!
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website, or through links to other websites, is not a substitute for medical or professional care, and such information should not be used in place of a visit, call consultation, or the advice of your physician or healthcare provider.
Comments