This article is one of a series covering back pain — causes, symptoms, and the treatments we use at Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. For the complete overview, see the full guide:
Bad posture can be a leading cause of back and neck pain. Today, we will be teaching you how to improve cervical posture.
What causes bad posture?
Bad posture can be inherited, but there are also environmental, social, and other forces that can have an effect on it. Forward head carriage (FHC) is an extremely common cause of bad posture. When the head sits in a forward position, it places more strain on the neck and upper back.
We have found studies that say that each inch of FHC increases strain in the neck and upper back by 10 pounds! This means that even three inches of FHC equals 30 extra pounds of strain on the neck and upper back.
How can I improve my posture?
First of all, simply staying active will reduce the normal rate of muscle degeneration. Keeping a normal body mass index (BMI) can be done by exercise and balancing calorie intake. We also want to give you some exercises you can perform at home to help improve cervical posture.
Exercises:
- Chin Tuck- Pull your chin in towards your face (should look like a double chin). Begin talking, and you will notice that your voice sounds nasal like. Continue talking as you release the tuck. When your voice clears and goes back to normal, stop moving your head. This is the position which you should be holding your head in. Try to maintain that position all day. Be patient with this, because it may take a few months for your head to stay there on its own.
- Deep Neck Flexor Chin Tuck- In this exercise, you will perform the same directions as above, but you will add a hand, towel, or theraband. This will add resistance. As you tuck your chin, press the back of your neck into your fingers, band, or towel. Do this a few times per day to achieve maximum results.
If you are struggling to improve cervical posture, come and visit us today. We will help you with all of your back and neck pain needs.
If you are in pain, suffer from back pain, neck pain, headaches or whatever, come in and see us, we can help. We also accept insurance and would be delighted to help you out of pain. Call us today or Schedule an appointment.
Ready to get out of pain? Most new patients are seen within 24 hours — walk in or book online.
Dr Shan Sivendra MD is the founder and medical director of Back and Body Medical in Midtown Manhattan. A board-certified medical doctor, certified acupuncturist, and Director of House Physicians at St. Barnabas Medical Center, Dr Sivendra has been practicing in New York since 1995.
He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Saint Barnabas Medical Center (affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine) and received the Resident Research Award for three consecutive years.
Dr Sivendra has a background spanning internal medicine, pain management, and conservative spine rehabilitation, and was licensed in both the US and the UK.
At Back and Body Medical, he leads a multidisciplinary team of chiropractors, physical therapists, and acupuncturists dedicated to helping patients recover from pain without surgery or unnecessary medication.
Further Reading: Back Pain