From the desk of Ann Arbor Chiropractor, Mike Tannenbaum, D.C.: “Forward Head Carriage: How Can It Be Helped?”

Forward head carriage, sometimes called anterior head carriage, is a common problem. We see cases of it every day at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office. Basically, forward head carriage is when one's posture places the neck and head in front of the shoulders, instead of midline above the shoulders. This poor posture is a big problem. The weight of the head is about that of a bowling ball and thus, this mispositioned weight causes hyperextension of the neck vertebrae, ligaments, etc. This can result in neck pain, and to eventual severe degeneration of the neck’s anatomic structures. The degeneration can lead to other health problems, such as additional neck and upper back pain, neck, and upper back muscle tightening, and tingling and numbness in the hands and arms.

The cause of forward head position can stem from a variety of issues, such as poor posture when sitting at a desk, whiplash type injuries – for example, because of auto accidents, physical contact when playing football, or wearing heavy backpacks.

So, can anything be done to fix forward head posture? Yes, and using a chiropractor for this can be beneficial. If you were to be treated at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office for forward head carriage, we would perform a physical exam to assess your condition and then suggest a course of action to help correct the mispositioned bones in your neck. This course of treatment will often include stretches, exercise, learning to maintain proper posture, suggested tools to use while sleeping or resting to help with posture, and chiropractic manipulative treatments (also known as chiropractic adjustments).

If you have any questions about this blog post, back pain, neck pain, or headaches please contact Tannenbaum Chiropractic at [email protected]