Posture refers to how the body is aligned and positioned in conjunction with the force of gravity acting upon it. Regardless of whether we are sitting, standing or lying down, there is always a gravitational force that applies pressure on our ligaments, joints and muscles.
When we talk about the neck, the normal structure will have the head sitting directly over the shoulders. Normal curves and proper disc spacing allow normal function of the spine and nervous system. When a structural shift has occurred in the neck, the head will often move towards the front, which we call Anterior Head Syndrome. When this shift occurs we’ll often find vertebrae in the spine that have become locked. The combination of these two will cause the shoulder muscles to spasm, in attempt to support the extra weight caused by the shift forward. The tight shoulder muscles are a direct result of the structural shift in the spine (the tight muscles are the symptom, not the true cause of the problem).
I see anterior head syndrome very often in my practice, and it is often accompanied by pain or numbness in the shoulders, neck, and sometimes into the hands. It is also common to find someone with frequent tension headaches to have this condition. It shows up frequently in those who sit all day and/or spend long hours at a computer, but can be found in others as well. If left uncorrected for an extended period of time, spinal degeneration will often take place. Continue reading “Why Your Posture Matters”
