You hear your phone chime and look down to read your texts. While you’re on it, you go to your banking app to check your account balance, scroll through Instagram, and watch a couple of TikTok videos. Getting back to work, you hop onto a Zoom call with a client and then spend hours working on projects on a deadline. When you get home, you stream your favorite show to unwind. Is it any wonder that at the end of the day, your neck and shoulders ache?
Technology is truly amazing, but with it comes head posture issues, causing neck, shoulder, and upper back pain. In this post, you’ll learn why your head posture is important and how to properly address problems with it.
Why Head Posture Matters
Did you know that an adult human head weighs about eight pounds? That may not seem like very much, but imagine yourself holding an eight-pound weight away from your body for hours every day. After some time, perhaps not as much as you think, your body would get tired and strained. This is what happens when you have bad head posture looking down at your phone or slouching to work on a laptop or tablet screen for hours at a time.
How to Correct Poor Head Posture
Unfortunately, if you work at a computer, phone, or desk, as many do these days, it is all too easy to fall into bad habits. However, if you do the following, you can develop healthier head posture and not have neck or upper back pain.
Hold Your Head Up Straight
Your head should be directly above your shoulders and collar bone, making your neck perpendicular to the floor. In this position, your head is balanced, and your muscles do not have to work hard to hold it up.
Create an Easier Environment for Good Head Posture
If your employer provides it, take advantage of ergonomic accommodations, such as an adjustable desk and comfortable and supportive chair. Try to keep screens at or just barely below eye level so you don’t have to look down, and do your best to avoid bringing your head forward.
Depending on your situation, you may not have control over your workspace. In such cases, try to take a five-minute break about every hour to reset your posture. You can also take a walk, stretch, and look away from the screen to prevent eye strain.
Work with a Chiropractor
Even with your efforts to maintain perfect head posture, you may find yourself still experiencing neck or upper back pain. As a result, visiting a chiropractor on a regular basis can help you overcome this discomfort through adjustments. Your chiropractor can also reinforce proper head posture as well as teach you stretches you can do at home to keep your neck, shoulders, and upper back limber.
In the end, keeping your head perfectly aligned may not always be possible, but being more aware of your head posture and meeting with a chiropractor can help you steer clear of neck and upper back pain.
About the Author
Dr. Zinovy Chukhman, or Dr. Z to his patients, is certified by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners in all four areas of physical rehabilitation. He graduated from the Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas and practices at AlignRight Chiropractic in Richardson, TX. To make an appointment with Dr. Z, you can reach out to our team online or call our office at 972-907-2800.