Forward Head Posture – How to fix it – Top 10 Exercises for Correction
Forward head posture is not something you just take lightly it can have a major impact on your overall fitness levels, Neck muscles, and also affects your overall lifting capability in the gym.
A Forward Head Posture is where your head extends forward over the Atlas vertebra on which your heads relaxes on. Forward Head Posture not only affects your athletic performances but also it causes Migraine, Arthritis, shoulder and neck pain and many other problems which may cause you a big discomfort every day.
Forward Head Posture is more prone to People who sit a long time in front of the computer or sleep topsy-turvy on the bed. Every inch your Head is more forward over your Atlas you putting additional pressure on your Neck muscles which can cause long-term health problems.
Each inch your ears moves forward from your shoulders it will create an additional 10 pounds pressure on your neck muscles.
This condition mainly happens when your back muscles (Traps & Extensor) are very much strong and tight and your front neck muscles called (flexor) are weak which is why it can’t handle the weight of your head.
It will create too much tension in your C4 and C5 area. Which can cause several types of pain and discomfort in your entire body and also affects your overall athletic performance.
How to know you have Forward Head Posture – Signs & Symptoms
The Symptoms’ related to Forward head Posture can easily find out as if you experience additional pressure on the shoulder and neck whole time. This means that your neck and shoulder muscles carrying additional pounds whole day which leads to an isometric reduction of shoulder and neck muscles. This isometric reduction of shoulders and neck muscles can cause improper blood circulation in the muscles, due to which pain and soreness in the neck muscles occur.
These are some of the most common symptoms of Forward Head Posture comprise:-
Signs and Symptoms
- Muscle contraction.
- Arthritis.
- Muscle Fatigue.
- Loss of appetite.
- Persistent pain in the shoulders, neck, upper, lower, and middle back.
- Forward leaning of the head.
- Migraines.
- Insomnia or Lack of sleep.
- The tightness of the chest or neck muscles.
- Severe Headaches.
- Disc erosion.
- Rounded shoulders.
- A decline in the range of motion.
- Reduction in overall height.
- Facial Pain.
- Teeth gritting.
- Numbness in the hands or arms.
- Decrease your overall performance in the gym.
These are some of the most common signs and symptoms but you can also check if you have forward head posture or not by examining yourself, just relax and stand still straight if your ears move forward from your shoulder that means you have forward head posture problem.
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Get Rid of Ugly Forward Head Posture
What causes a Forward Head Posture?
Forward Head Posture mainly caused by using improper form while doing things like:-
- Using a Computer for a prolonged period of time without taking a rest.
- Playing video games for long hours.
- Sudden Trauma. (Car accidents, falls, sudden slips, etc)
- Sitting in front of the TV for a long time while using improper postures.
- Driving Car with your head away from the headrest.
- Carrying a heavy backpack over your shoulder for long hours.
- Sitting with shoulder curved and back bent.
- Doctors or students who use the microscope for a long time are more prone to Forward head posture.
- Typing or reading while looking down for extensive hours without taking a rest.
- Bad sleeping positions or sleeping topsy-turvy on the bed.
- Weak traps and lats muscles.
- Breathing Wrong.
- Texting or using mobile phones for several hours while winding your neck.
These are some of the factors that can cause forward head posture. The dilemma is that recurring forward and downward facing stances cause hypotonic and hypertonic or lengthening and shortening of several main muscles like trapezius, rhomboid, and lavater, and pectoral, annoyance of cervical nerves and deterioration of cervical vertebrae.
If the position of the head and spine is not paramount, the neck can be inclined to injury or the unhealthy effects of erosion over time.
Treatment to Fix Forward Head Posture
If you found out that you have trouble keeping your head straight or AKA forward head posture problem takes important steps immediately as soon as possible and meet your physician or doctor.
Because ignoring this situation for a long time can cause you to have serious or negative health consequences such as degenerative joint disease, and myofascial pain syndrome.
To treat Forward head posture you must first have to strengthen your weak muscle and have to stretch the strong muscle.
So, in this case, we have to stretch the Traps muscles and the muscles exist in front of the upper body, which comprises of pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, and have to train to strengthen the weak area of the front neck (Flexor) and the muscles exist in the back of the upper body, which consists of the rhomboid muscle.
You don’t notice this but you look shorter for about 1-2 inches because of FHP.
Besides all these some of the important tips to treat your Forward Head Posture are:-
1. Practice Deep breathing exercises as it is best to correct the forward head posture by soothing the stressed muscle.
2. Make sure not to load unnecessary load or stress on the back of your neck.
3. Most people only do chest and biceps in the gym and ignore the abs muscles that are important to keep your posture straight and make you injury-free in the gym.
4. Stretching of strong muscles and strengthening the weak muscles should be done on regular basis. Start strengthening the muscles down from your hips to all the way back up to your neck, back, head, and chest.
5. Make sure you sit in the right posture while working on your computer at home or at a desk in the office. A correct posture may help you to get rid of Forward Head Posture fast.
6. Practising fine posture while driving a car, using a mobile phone, working on a computer at work or office, Reading or while sleeping is very much favourable to your musculoskeletal system, as a result, it helps in improving your forward head posture fast.
7. Use a firm pillow while sleeping or use a pillow that naturally supports your neck muscles. Using a high pillow may cause your neck muscle to strain even more so it is best to avoid it.
Top 10 Exercises to Fix Forward Head Posture
It is a stretching exercise of the neck muscles (extensor & flexor). In this exercise, you have to place your both hand on the back of your skull and slowly start pushing your head against it. Repeat this stretch 3-4 times for about 30 seconds.
2. Chin Nod
First, Relax and sit straight or you can also do this exercise while lying down.
After that slowly start moving your head up and down.
If you can feel the stretch at the side and in front of your neck muscles you are doing it the right way.
Hold your neck at each point for about 5seconds and repeat this for at least 20-25 times every day.
3. Chin Tuck with Thera Band
This exercise is a bit different it is against gravity.
First, lie down on your stomach while keeping your head off the edge of the bed or table. You can also do this exercise in sitting position
Second, Use a thera band back of your neck and start pulling it lightly forward while keep on tucking your chin up and down
This exercise is done against gravity which puts a great amount of stretch on the neck muscle.
Repeat this exercise for about 20-25 times for at least 5 seconds
4. Self MYO-Facial Stretch
Self Myo is a very easy and effective exercise to relieve neck pain and treat forward head posture
- First, you need to have a ball, a normal tennis ball is fine
- Now keep the ball between your affected area and a wall
- Roll the ball up and down around your affected area.
- If you start feeling the pain then you are hitting the right area and then try to roll the ball for 5 minutes in this particular area.
- It is a very good exercise for the Neck extensor and scapula muscle.
5. Chin Tuck
If you got neck pain & a tight shoulder this exercise will be very helpful to you.
The effect of this exercise is that your neck is going to become elongated so you become taller. You want to stretch your neck & at the same time, your chin is going to
be tucking in.
So the head movement is backward but kind of slight upward so that it seems like a double chin.
Hold this position for about 5 seconds and repeat it at least 15-20 times.
6. Chin Tuck against gravity
This is an effective exercise for your neck muscles.
- In this exercise, you have to first lie on your stomach by keeping your head off the edge from the table or bed.
- Slowly start tucking your chin in and out
- This exercise puts a great effort on your neck muscles.
- Hold the position for about 5 seconds and repeat at least 20-25 times.
7. Stretch the sides of your neck
- Stand up straight and look forward.
- Slowly rotate the head to the right then look down and stretch your neck.
- Do this exercise to train both sides of your neck extensor muscles.
- Do 3 sets of this exercise every day each set last for 30-40 seconds. You can do this at your home or at your office.
- Stand up straight or you can do this while sitting down
- Look straight forward and slowly bring your chin down to the level that it touches your chest.
- Hold it down and go back.
- Repeat this exercise 15-20 times
9. Iso matrix front neck exercise
This exercise is superb for both your extensor and flexor muscles of your neck.
- First, lay down on your stomach on the bench or bed straight.
- Put a 5lbs plate behind your neck and try to contract and stretch your neck muscles slowly by looking up and down.
- Make sure to use a bench or a bed for a better range of motion.
- Do 3 sets of 12-15 reps of this exercise every day.
10. Iso matrix exercise for extensor muscles
- Interlock your fingers and put them behind your neck.
- Now gently push your head forward with both of your hands & apply pressure with your head against it.
- Make sure to create equal stress on your neck muscle
If your pain doesn’t go away after doing these exercises please speak to a professional massage therapist and Chiropractors because they are master in this field and can understand your position pretty fast. They can find out the root of your pain and know how to fix them.
Best Braces and correction devices to correct Forward Head Posture
- Cervical Neck Traction Device
This device is performing very well on the affected areas of the neck and back muscles. It releases neck pain through improve posture of the neck and elevates the
Jawbone and also construct the most favorable spine alignment which alleviates strain on your nerves. It is very easy to use and portable that you can take it anywhere
It can fit in your backpack, purse, or in a suitcase. The quality of this product is superb which is why it can last long for many years.
2. Sunany Cervical Neck Traction Device
This is a Neck traction device that is useful in relieving neck pain caused by surgery, accident, injury, or any other type of pain. It doesn’t matter
If you have a short, thin, big, or long neck it can adjust on your neck perfectly. This is a very cost-effective product and you don’t have to worry about its reliability. It is very simple to use and can easily store in your bag.
Keep one thing in mind these devices will only provide you short-term relief and are not intended to treat or cure any type of disease or health condition.
Always ask your health practitioner first before using this or any kind of device because they will guide you the best according to your current state.
3. Brace Ability Posture Corrector Brace
Again a great product but this is a brace, not a device and you can wear it anytime or whenever you feel comfortable. It can be customized or trimmed to make
A perfect fit for your body type. It can be worn while sitting at the office or at home or while sleeping too, to fix the posture of your back and neck and
Help you stand up straighter.
Wear it daily for about 30 min and slowly starts to increase the time when your spine, shoulder, and back muscle adapt to the new posture. It is designed to fix your Back and shoulder portion. This is designed as a backpack which makes it easy to put on.
4. Cervical Neck Traction Device Inflatable Pillow
Cervical Neck Traction Device Inflatable Pillow
This device is designed to improve the pressure on your nerves by improving your posture and extend your neck. A hair air pump allows you to modify the device for
Best possible support and compression on your neck muscles. This device increases your neck position for the most favorable spinal alignment and takes
Off the pressure from your shoulder, back, and neck. It is very simple to use and very portable so you can take it anywhere you want.
It has a 1-year manufacturer warranty
5. Chiropractic Pillow Neck Stretcher
This is an ergonomic cervical traction device for people having neck or cervical pain it is also good for people having Forward Head Posture. The device shape aligns the head and cervical spine in their natural state and reduces the pressure.
The device stretches your spine naturally using your body weight and gravity.
You will feel discomfort for 2-3 days or maybe a week but after that, you will get used to it. Makes sure to not switch this device from your normal pillow. Lay down in a supine position on the device for 10 minutes every day for better results.
Its lightweight and elastic design make it very portable and adjustable according to your current state.
or you can try this Product “Forward Head Posture Fix” down below which is made by the top fitness experts of CriticalBench. This program is designed for people of any age who want to fix their forward head posture problem fast. Many people including myself get huge benefits from this program this includes:-
1. No more ugly-looking head.
2. Proper alignment of the head with the body.
3. No more Neck or shoulder pain.
4. Lose weight. (As it contains exercise programs)
This program contains an exercise pattern that not only helps you to fix your head and neck problem but also helps in regaining your natural posture so that you can perform at your optimum level.
If you order it now you can also get a bonus with it which is “Lower Back Lifestyle Audit” which helps in treating your several back problems and another one is “10 Best Natural Sleep Solutions” which is created for people that suffering from insomnia and other sleeping disorders. Order Now to get three of these.
