Correct Posture will Keep You in Good Shape - and More!

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One of the most common problems we see is forward neck posture with rounded shoulders - not just in kids with cellphones etc., but anyone, any age. NASTY. The pictures above show exactly what is happening. Note the neck X-ray, and the complete loss of normal C-shaped neck curve (in fact, a reverse curve). This is bad news because it will lead to spinal cord stress, and all kinds of problems including: headaches, balance problems, shallow breathing, and upper back pain (as it needs to work like a crane holding up a heavy head way more forward than normal). Longer term, it will also cause premature degeneration (osteoarthritis). Click on the picture to enlarge it and notice the worn lower vertebrae with narrowed disc & bone spurs - nasty.

Forward neck posture is quite hard to fix, so it's a case of "Prevention is easier than the cure". At least stop it from getting worse. You need to:

1. Get adjusted regularly and make sure the spine and nerve system are working properly.

2. Stretch your neck frequently by looking up & over your shoulders as far as you can. Hold a full turn for 10secs, and do 3x each way. Do some backwards shoulder rolls/stretches too, especially if you're on a computer for long.

3. Stretch the front chest and shoulder muscles (Pecs etc.). Use a doorway or stretchy (resistance) band to force your shoulders back. Do lots of backwards shoulder rolls.

4. Strengthen the upper back muscles. Again, use a resistance band to bring shoulders up and back, squeezing shoulder blades in together.

5. Lie on your back on the carpet every night with a rolled-up towel under your neck. This helps maintain the proper curve. 7-8 mins will do.

6. Every night before going to sleep, lie on your back with your head just a couple of cm's off the mattress (not pillow), and look straight up to the ceiling, holding this position for 1 min. Once you can do 1 min. easy, do it with the head turned to the left for 20 secs, to the right for 20, and back to the middle for 20 secs. So you still get 1 minute in total. This is the easiest way to strengthen the front of neck muscles, which are underpowered compared to the "crane" ones at the back of the neck.

7. Concentrate on a tall erect posture - sitting, standing, and walking. Walk around looking "up more at the tree tops", not the ground so much. Reset the body's posture by standing backwards against a door or wall with everything touching - heels, butt, shoulders, head. Close your eyes, sense that tall feeling, then walk away naturally, holding that beautiful posture - imagining you're being pulled up by a helium balloon attached to your head. It's just mind over matter.

8. Finally, if you do office work, check the ergonomics of your work station, and stop looking down so much. Get the screen up! Same applies to mobile devices. As we see above, iPosture and Text Neck are very real, and a total pain the neck 😬