Is your Head Balanced atop your Spine?

Your head weighs more than you give it credit for…

Forward head posture (FHP) is a pervasive positioning of the head related to overuse of cell phones and computers. The wall test is a simple way to diagnose yourself with FHP:

• Stand straight against a wall
• Feet shoulder width apart.
• Heels, buttocks and shoulder blades touching the wall
• Is the back of your head touching the wall?

If not, there’s a good chance your head is resting forward most of the day. This is problematic when you consider studies that suggest for every inch you move forward, you are adding 10 pounds of extra pressure to the spine. It’s no wonder we are seeing the onset of degenerative spinal conditions shift to an earlier demographic.

How we help at Espinosa Family Chiropractic

At our office in Sacramento, we help you address FHP through postural analysis and awareness, chiropractic adjustment and attention to the muscles that matter. A leading reason for FHP is tightening and weakness of the muscles which are used to support the head at the top of the spine (the head’s center of gravity). This is a key area of focus for us at Espinosa Family Chiropractic. We want to release tight muscles such as the occipitals and the sternocleidomastoid and focus on strengthening the muscles that will make it easier to keep your head atop the spine without craning forward. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.