Ladies and Gentlemen Avoid
the “Hump” of Middle Age
By Paul Helzer, DC, PhD
Does your mother or father have a large fatty pad or “hump” just at its base of their neck? Have they been told it’s hereditary and there’s nothing to be done for it? Are you worried that you may wind up with the same deformity? Well read on...
One of the most common postural problems is the forward head posture (FHP). Since we live in a forward facing world, the repetitive use of computers, TV, video games, trauma, and even backpacks have forced the body to adapt to a forward head posture. Repetitive movements in a certain direction will strengthen nerve and muscle pathways to move that way more readily. An example would be the adaptation of the body to do gymnastics easily after repetitive practice. It is the repetition of forward head movements combined with poor ergonomic postures and/or trauma that causes the body to adapt to a forward head posture.
FHP is relatively easy to detect. Have the person you are checking look up at the ceiling, down at the floor, and then straight ahead. Find the center of the shoulder and draw an imaginary line up. It should land through the middle of the ear’s hold (external auditory meatus). Any forward head posture should be immediately checked by a chiropractor. “Despite considerable evidence that posture affects physiology and function, the significant influence of posture on health is not addressed by most physicians.” Remember, long standing postural problems like FHP will cause spine and nerve damage, and symptoms are rarely present early on.
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Ideally, the head should sit directly on the neck and shoulders, like a golf ball sits on a tree. The weight of the head is more like a bowling ball than a golf ball, so holding it forward, out of alignment, puts a strain on your neck and upper back muscles.
Damaging Effects of Forward Head Posture (FHP) — The effects of posture on health is becoming more evident. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse, and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture. |
Ideally, the head should sit directly on the neck and shoulders, like a golf ball sits on a tree. The weight of the head is more like a bowling ball than a golf ball, so holding it forward, out of alignment, puts a strain on your neck and upper back muscles. The result can be muscle fatigue and, all too often, an aching neck. Because the neck and shoulders have to carry this weight all day in an isometric contraction, this causes neck muscles to lose blood, get damaged, fatigue, strain, cause pain, burning and fibromyalgia. When spinal tissues are subject to a significant load for a sustained period of time, they deform and undergo remodeling changes that could become permanent. This is why it takes time to correct FHP. In addition, FHP has been shown to flatten the normal neck curve, resulting in disc compression, damage, and early arthritis. This abnormal position is also responsible for many tension headaches, often termed cervicogenic headaches.
FHP also causes tension in the TMJ (temporomandibular joint) or jaw joint, leading to pain, headaches and bite problems. Some evidence exists that postural positions can effect the nerve tissue by altering blood flow to the spinal cord. People with uncorrected FHP can potentially suffer chronic or unpleasant conditions, such as pinched nerves and blood vessels, like thoracic outlet syndrome, muscle and tissue pain, syndromes like fibromyalgia, chronic strains, and early degeneration and arthritis
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Monitoring good posture is a lifetime commitment. With a little effort and a chiropractor on your health care team, you can be assured a future doing things you love to do, rather than suffering from damage and degeneration poor posture can bring.
For more information or a free consultation call or write: Dr. Paul Helzer DC, 9461 Flower St in Bellflower, (562) 866-3721.
Dr. Paul Helzer, Director of Helzer Healing Arts Center in Bellflower has been serving the community for over 50 years. For your questions or comments visit or write Dr. Helzer at 9461 Flower Street, Bellflower, CA 90706 or call (562) 866-3721. |
