Did you know that posture may have something to do with why you’re experiencing low back and even neck pain? It’s true!

“The human head weighs 8 pounds.” says the little boy from Jerry McGuire. In reality heads are not all created equal. Some are larger than others. The human head weighs between 8 and 12 pounds, with 10 pounds being the average. Lesser known is how your head can “gain weight” depending on you posture.

Look at people walking down the street. Many of them are suffering from “Forward Head Posture” (FHP). This is where, when you ‘re standing up straight, your ear is no longer in line with your shoulders when someone looks at you from the side. This is the scary part. For every inch forward your head goes, it adds an additional 10 pounds of weight that the muscles in your neck and shoulders must deal with to keep your head up, according to medical researcher Dr. Rene Calliet, MD. That’s like adding a bowling ball on your head for every inch!!!

FHP can also lead to accelerated Degenerative Disc Disease, Degenerative Joint Disease, Disc Herniation, Headaches, TMJ Pain and even reduce the diameter of your airway, making breathing difficult. The only people trained to correct this type of postural condition is a chiropractor. A chiropractor specifically trained in the restoration of Spinal Biomechanics.

So, check your posture today. Stand up straight and have someone take a picture of you with their camera on their phone from the side so you get a profile. Is your ear in front of your shoulder? How much? Make sure your ears and shoulders aren’t lining up simply because your shoulders are also rounding forward. That’s another postural condition which needs to be addressed. If you have low back and/or neck pain, and your posture is looking less like an “I” and more like a “C”, it’s time to see your chiropractor. Even without pain, these conditions need to be addressed. 

For questions, please go to www.spinebuilder.com or call my office at 623.587.7463.

Yours in health,

Dr. Aaron L. Wiegand,DC,CCST