The 42 pound head
Last time we looked the “42 pound head”, the situation where faulty or out-of-line head positioning adds considerably to the work our neck muscles must do to support our head. We talked about how the apparent “weight” of the head increases by 8lbs for every inch that it is held forward from the so-called anatomically correct position. In this post we’re going to consider how someone with this problem might bring their head into a more comfortable alignment with gravity.
The "chicken move"
There are many steps you can take to correct head forward posture but just tilting your head back should not be one of them. This is what most people who have the head forward posture do in response to the body’s natural tendency to position the eyes level with the horizon. But such an adaptation will almost always lead to problems - nerve impingement, muscular tightness in the short term, degenerative damage to neck vertebrae in the long term.
The number one self-help measure for head forward posture is the chin back exercise. I like to call this the “chicken move” because that’s what it looks like. You just bring your chin back like a chicken does. Try it. Push your chin forward then draw it straight back so the back of your neck straightens. Now hold it. This is where you want to be. Do it again, and this time put your finger on the tip of your chin so your head glides straight back, not up or down.
Anyone with head forward posture should do this exercise often, several times a day at least till it becomes second nature. The beauty of this simple movement is that it also helps to keep our shoulders in the right position, not rolled forward which they usually are when the head leads the way.
Now, I’m not saying that this one thing will eliminate a head forward posture. It will for some if rigorously applied but for others it may only be one step in a long journey. There’s lots of information out there about this but try the “chicken move” first; it may just do the trick for you.
The number one self-help measure for head forward posture is the chin back exercise. I like to call this the “chicken move” because that’s what it looks like. You just bring your chin back like a chicken does. Try it. Push your chin forward then draw it straight back so the back of your neck straightens. Now hold it. This is where you want to be. Do it again, and this time put your finger on the tip of your chin so your head glides straight back, not up or down.
Anyone with head forward posture should do this exercise often, several times a day at least till it becomes second nature. The beauty of this simple movement is that it also helps to keep our shoulders in the right position, not rolled forward which they usually are when the head leads the way.
Now, I’m not saying that this one thing will eliminate a head forward posture. It will for some if rigorously applied but for others it may only be one step in a long journey. There’s lots of information out there about this but try the “chicken move” first; it may just do the trick for you.
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