So, what does your head and a bowling ball have in common? They both weigh 10-12 pounds.
Why is this important to me? If you ever suffer from tight shoulders, upper back pain, neck pain or headaches, it may be related to the weight of your head.
The head plays a major role in the postural stresses that we deal with daily. Your head is like a bowling ball sitting on a stick (your neck). When you are upright and looking straight ahead, your head weighs 10-12 pounds but when you begin to look down, the equivalent weight of your head greatly increases. As you look downward, your head is no longer balanced, it wants to fall forward off the stick. To prevent this from happening, you must contract your neck, shoulder and upper back muscles. You even cause your low back muscles to begin engaging.
The further you look down, the heavier the head becomes
When you bend your head down 30 degrees, the weight of the head becomes equivalent to 40 pounds. When you look down 45 degrees, the weight increases to almost 50 pounds.
The sustained contraction of these muscles can lead to fatigue, muscle knots and pain. Over longer periods of time this may lead to early disc degeneration and arthritic changes.
Activities that lead to poor postures
One of the greatest sources of postural stress in our culture today is the use of cell phones and tablets. Some people spend hours a day looking downward.
Slouching in chairs, computer work and even leisure activities such as knitting, and reading can cause these poor postures.
2 Thing you can do to combat these poor postures
No one can work in perfect postures. Our technology is not going to go away. How can you manage these stresses? Here are two ways.
- Get adjusted regularly. Adjustments improve joint and muscle function as well as improve range of motion.
- Do exercises that focus on improving posture. People typically need to strengthen neck muscles and mid back muscles that we use to squeeze shoulder blades together.
Not sure how to get started?
Knowing what to do is half the battle. We offer evaluation and training designed specifically for your needs.
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