Poor Posture and Forward Head Syndrome

What is Forward Head Syndrome?

Forward head syndrome is extremely common in today’s society and describes a condition where, due to changes in posture, the head juts forward actually shortening the neck. This can be mild or severe and is affected by different factors such as type of work, age, arthritis and genetic factors.

Due to prolonged sitting, poor posture with work, working at a computer, sitting at home in poor posture watching TV and a host of other common poor postures, changes in your spine can occur over time. Think about how much time you spend looking into a screen and hunched over a desk. The 10–12lbs of your head are pulling forward on your spine.

Over time, the normal curve in your neck reduces, the length of the spine decreases and muscles in the neck become weaker. This can lead to a variety of symptoms from neck pain, to headaches and even impinged nerves radiating pain into the upper extremities.

How physical therapy helps

Physical therapy works in a variety of ways to improve your posture and actually change your neck posture over time. With hands on therapy, stretching, special exercises and postural re–training, our physical therapists work with you to improve your posture, alignment and neck strength. In addition, we train you on proper postural positioning and techniques to adapt your work and home areas to reduce the strain on your neck. Call us today to discover how we can help quickly reduce your neck pain and improve your posture!