correcting forward head

8/2/2019 Correcting Forward Head

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Maintaining Good

Posture and

Muscle Health


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Talking AboutPosture Is A

Difficult

Position To BeIn


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So, Let Me Introduce Myself

Paul Doney

Chiropractor Educator

Anatomy & Physiology ofYoga for Yoga Synergy

Practitioner A Body of Work, Neutral Bay

Natural Fertility and HealthSolutions, Bondi Junction


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This Will Be Easy for You

Sit back and relaxconfident in the

knowledge that Iam not going toask you to doanything toodifficult for you.

http://www.yogasynergy.com


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Why Posture?

Poor posture at work is amajor cause of back pain,workplace stress and

repetitive strain injury,resulting in lost time,reduced productivity, pooremployee health, low

morale, and higher costs.

http://www.mensfitnessmagazine.co.uk/fitness/fittips/2220/15_back_pain_tips.html


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Stress Poor Workplace

Ergonomics

Poor Postural

Role Models

Mood/

Emotion

Attitude/

Self-Image

Poor Posture

Unbalanced & Excessive Muscle Activity

Poor Biomechanics


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Poor Biomechanics

Pressure on Joints, Nerves & Blood Vessels

Reduced Blood Flow & Lymphatic Drainage

Muscle Spasm Pain


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Muscle Spasm

Muscle Shortening and Fibrosis

Long Term Postural Change

Mechanical Damage to Joints and Nerves

Chronic Pain & Dysfunction


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Stooped Posture

A stooped posture withpermanent changes in

the shape of the vertebraand muscles of the bodycan be the end result ofpoor postural habits

when we are younger.


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How Do You Know When Youve Let Things Slip

(and need to ask for help)?

Constantly tired

Headaches

Sore neck andshoulders

Back pain

Carpel TunnelSyndrome

Dowagers Hump



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You Know

Good Posture

When You

See It

How often do you

look in the mirror? Or objectively at

one another?


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But What is Good Posture?

Posture is the position in which you hold your bodyupright against gravity while standing, sitting or

lying down.

Good posture involves training your body to stand,walk, sit and lie in positions where the least strainis placed on supporting muscles and ligamentsduring movement or weight-bearing activities.


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And Why Does It Matter?

Nachemson AThe Lumber Spine - An OrthopedicChallenge, Spine 1:59 - 71, March 1976


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Sometimes the Most

Obvious Things

Escape Us

We have to step back,look up and SEE whatis right before us.


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Postural Assessment

http://www.cascadewellnessclinic.com/q-and-a/01q-a/qa0108.shtml


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Types of Posture You Will See


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Aspects of Posture

Posture is aposition

combined witha mood orattitude.

What is thisattitude?


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Aspects of Posture

Or this attitude?


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Simpson

Philosophy

Marges tireless optimism

hits exactly the right note(in a Simpsonesque kindof way).

Our attitudes andemotions are reflected inour posture but we canCHOOSE to be different.


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Extremes

The boss may want you

to show this sort ofattitude.


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Extremes

And you may think the

boss has this sort ofattitude.


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Extremes

Your kids probablythink this is a cool

posture

Advertising has a lot to

answer for when itcomes to our idea ofwhat is normal ordesirable.


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Extremes

If your children (or

you) keep playingon the computertheyll probablyend up with thissort of posture.


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Clever Greeks

The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates

observed that children who developed a

hunchback deformity in the upper spine tended

to become adults with deformed chests,

hoarseness of the voice, lung diseases, and

breathlessness, whereas children who developed

the deformity in the lower half of the spinetended to develop intestinal and kidney

disorders, and varicose veins of the legs.http://users.chariot.net.au/~posture/
http://users.chariot.net.au/~posture/http://users.chariot.net.au/~posture/


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Biomechanics

GOOD POSTURE

Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment sothat muscles are being used properly.

Helps decrease the abnormal wearing of jointsurfaces that could result in arthritis.

Decreases the stress on the ligaments holding thejoints of the spine together.

Prevents the spine from becoming fixed inabnormal positions.


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Biomechanics

GOOD POSTURE

Prevents fatigue because muscles are being used more

efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy. Prevents strain or overuse problems.

Prevents backache and muscular pain.

Contributes to a good appearance


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Forward Head Posture

A very commonposture amongstthose who study,use computers orwork at a desk

(ie. most of us).


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29

B

A

LA

N

CE


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Forward Head

Posture

Associated with pain

in: The jaw

Neck

Upper back

Lower back

Knees

Feet


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Structural Integration


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Normal weight of the headon the neck vertebra isapprox. 4.5 kg.

Moving the head forward 7.6cm. increases the forces onthe vertebra to 13.6 kg (ie3x).

This leads to pain anddegeneration.

(4.5 kg)

(13.6 kg)

(7.6 cm)


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Also places uneventension on musclesof the jawproducing: Malocclusion

Pain

Clenching Grinding

Dental Nightmares


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Say Aaaaaaah


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Speaking of Dental Nightmares

I dont think this guysproblems were caused by

poor posture. He does have a very

happy smile though(which is a facial

posture!)

Sorry couldnt helpputting that one in.


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Working Flat Out is Not Good For Your

Body

Sometimes we get home from a day at the office and we

just collapse. Maybe you feel like this all the time.

So what do we do about it?



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Perfect Posture


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Imagery

Think of a straight line passingthrough your body from ceiling

to floor (your ears, shoulders,hips, knees, and ankles shouldbe even and line up vertically).

http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826
http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826


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Imagery

Now imagine that astrong cord attached tothe top of yourbreastbone is pullingyour chest and rib cageupward, making youtaller. Try to hold your

pelvis level dontallow the lower back tosway.

Audrey Hepburn

(Posture Queen of the Universe)


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Imagery

Think of stretching yourhead toward the ceiling,

increasing the spacebetween your rib cageand pelvis. Pictureyourself as a ballerina or

ice skater rather than asoldier at attention.


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Chin Tuck

Sit comfortably in a chair withyour feet flat on the floor. Keepyour shoulders relaxed and

down. Hold your head upright.Pull your chin in toward yourneck; hold that position for acount of five; and then relax.Repeat 10 times. To help guideyour head, you can gentlyapply pressure to your chinwith two fingers.

http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826


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Shoulder Blade Squeeze

Sit up straight in achair with yourhands resting onyour thighs. Keep

your shoulders downand your chin level.Slowly draw yourshoulders back andsqueeze your

shoulder bladestogether. Hold for acount of five; relax.Repeat three or fourtimes.


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Abdominal Pull-In

Stand or sit. Inhale;then exhale slowly

to a count of five,pulling your lowerabdominal musclesup and in, as ifmoving your belly

button toward yourbackbone. Relax andbreathe normally.Repeat a few times.


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Upper-Body Stretch

Stand facing a corner with yourarms raised, hands flat againstthe walls, elbows at shoulderheight. Place one foot ahead ofthe other. Bending your forwardknee, exhale as you lean yourbody toward the corner. Keepyour back straight and your chestand head up. You should feel anice stretch across your chest.Hold this position for 2030seconds. Relax.

http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/artic

lepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826


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Arm-Across-Chest Stretch

Raise your right arm toshoulder level in front of youand bend the arm at theelbow, keeping the forearmparallel to the floor. Grasp theright elbow with your lefthand and gently pull it acrossyour chest so that you feel astretch in the upper arm and

shoulder on the right side.Hold for 20 seconds; relaxboth arms. Repeat to theother side. Repeat threetimes on each side.


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Chair Posture

A hunched-over positionreverses some of the spinesnatural curves. To realignthem, sit upright as far back inyour chair as possible, keepyour feet flat on the floor, andyour chin parallel to the floor.Relax your shoulders, and be

aware of the curve in yourlower back. You can use arolled towel to help maintainthe normal lumbar curve. http://health.msn.com/centers/backpain/articl

epage.aspx?cp-documentid=100127826


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1. Seat back2. Lumbar support3. Height adjust4. Tilt adjust

5. Feet flat on floor6. Clear room for

movement under desk7. Elbows @ 90 -100o

8. Wrists straight andrelaxed

9. Monitor position10. Space to rest the wrists

www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/ safety/section.13/app_7.htm
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/safety/section.13/app_7.htmhttp://www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/safety/section.13/app_7.htm


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Kneeling Chairs

These are a good optionfor SOME situations.

Drawbacks: Cumbersome

Can put too much pressureon knees for some people

http://www.kneelsit.com/pain.html


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Workstation Set-Up


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Bad Posture Habits

Slouching with the shouldershunched forward.

Carrying something heavy onone side of the body (shoulderbag, child, etc).

Cradling a phone receiverbetween the neck and shoulder.



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Bad Posture Habits

Wearing high-heeled shoes orclothes that are too tight.

Keeping the head held too high orlooking down too much.

Sleeping with a mattress or pillowthat doesn't provide propersupport, or in a position thatcompromises posture.



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Things you can do to Help Yourself

Participate in a variety of sportsYoga , Pilates or Tai Chi

Feldenkrais or Alexander Technique

Sternal Breath (see handout)

Dancing

Singing training



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Muscles

No! Not that type.

Muscles of respiration!


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The Diaphragm


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Basic Abdominal Breathing


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3D View of Diaphragm


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Accessory Muscles of Respiration


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Which is the Most Commonly Abused and

Posturally Misused Group of Muscles in

Westerners?

Clue: Its a trick question

Answer: The Pelvic Floor


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The Pelvic Floor

A cone-shapedgroup of musclesthat line the floor ofthe pelvis.

Dysfunction cancause fecal orurinaryincontinence.


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Nerves and Blood Vessels

Nerves and bloodvessels pass under andthrough the muscles ofthe pelvic floor and canbe damaged byprolonged or excessive

forces.


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Toilet Training is a Postural Disaster

Western seated toilets donot permit the muscles

of the pelvic floor to relaxfully during defecation orurination.

This necessitates

increased pressures tovoid and acts as arepetitive strain injury fornerves in the area.


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Squatting

Squatting is a naturalposture for defecation

(and urination inwomen).

But its a hard sell gettingWesterners to accept that

their toilet habits arecausing them significantharm.

Taboo.


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Summary

The benefits of GoodPosture

No pain Jaw and teeth Sleep Headaches Increased energy Better looks Reduced stress

correcting forward head

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