Fight Forward Head Posture with 5 Expert Exercises!
May 12, 2023 -- Posted by :Even though poor posture can impair physical function and affect one’s health, it’s very common to see people with a slouched, forward head posture. Aside from advice to sit up straight, limit phone use, or hold devices at eye level, are there any exercises that can help reverse forward head posture? The answer: “YES!” Let’s look at five easy-to-perform exercises you can start right away…
EXERCISE #1 Pectoral Stretch: Grasp a door jam and rotate your body outward, allowing your arm to pull back until you feel a firm stretch in the chest wall muscles (hold for three-to-ten seconds until the muscle loosens). Move your hand upward and downward and repeat to stretch the different muscle fibers of the pectorals. Repeat on the other side.
EXERCISE #2 External Rotation: Use a light weight (2.5-10 lbs.) lie on your side with the upside elbow bent 90 degrees, slowly raise the weight toward the ceiling, and then slowly lower it. As an alternative, use Thera-Band from a sitting or standing position and perform bilaterally at the same time.
EXERCISE #3 Scapular Abd-/Add-uction: Assume a push-up position (from feet or knees) and rather than bending the elbows (like in a “normal” push-up), keep the elbows locked straight and drop the chest to bring the shoulder blades together and then reverse the motion, raising the chest to spread the shoulder blades out as far as possible. Repeat to fatigue, adding more reps as able. This retracts the shoulders by strengthening the interscapular muscles.
EXERCISE #4 Chin Retractions: From a sitting, standing, or supine position, tuck in the chin while looking straight ahead and then nod the chin down and up. This will strengthen the deep neck flexor muscles that help stabilize the cervical spine. You can add resistance by pushing the chin into your fist while in the up/down directions.
EXERCISE #5 Neck Stretch: With the left hand, reach over the side of the head and pull the right side of the head/neck sideways to the left first while looking upward (pull sideways and back) and then slowly rotate the head left and right feeling for the stretch in the front and side of the neck. Alternative: with the same set-up, drop the head forward (in flexion, pull sideways and forward) while slowly rotating the head left and right feeling for the stretch in the back and side of the neck.
In addition to these exercises, your doctor of chiropractic can utilize manual therapies, like manipulation and mobilization, to help restore normal motion to the neck, shoulders, and upper back, which can help speed your progress to a more normal, healthy, and attractive posture.
So, if you are experiencing neck pain, pinched neck nerve, cervical radiculopathy or pain in your neck muscles and type in pain management near me or chiropractor near me, you may find Coast Chiropractic Centers with Dr. Timothy Harcourt, me, comes up.
You may wonder, “Do I need an MRI scan of my neck and who around me can I get a referral from?”
Some people around you will try stretching first to see if they get relief from their neck pain. A pulled muscle generally will get better with rest. Persistent or worsening pain intensity and/or frequency necessitates a visit to see a professional near you.
Check out what the experts say about chiropractic care for neck pain here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31870638/
Call me, Dr. Tim Harcourt, at Coast Chiropractic Centers at (239) 278-3344 or stop by if we’re in your area on your day off for a walk-in visit and mention this article for an awesome discounted first visit to include history, exam, and adjustment or Class IV high-intensity laser treatment.
So if you find yourself experiencing neck pain that is affecting your quality of life and allowing you to enjoy Fort Myers Beach. Come see us at Coast Chiropractic Centers located on 7270 College Parkway.
If you would like to avoid getting neck pain in the first place or to take a proactive approach to your health and wellness nearby, our membership program called Club C may be just the thing for you with great cost savings, convenience, and even more importantly, a plan to get your health back and keep it.
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