Forward Head Carriage

You may have heard the term Forward Head Carriage thrown around, but what does it mean? When you have good posture, when standing up straight, the center of your ear should be directly above the center of your shoulder. It is common for people’s head to drift forward from this position, that is referred to as Forward Head Carriage. 

This type of posture happens when the muscles in the neck get tight, pulling the head forwards, or the upper back has an increased curve. It is caused by long hours spent sitting, especially when in a fixed position looking in front of you, such as working at a desk or driving. Other slouching positions also contribute, such as sitting in a deep comfy sofa whilst playing video games. As the muscles that pull the head forwards are used to assist breathing when you need extra air in your lungs, doing endurance sports such as running or cycling also tends to bring the head forward. So, if you are a triathlete who works in an office and likes to relax in front of the PS3 you can see that you have a lot of lifestyle factors contributing to Forward Head Carriage.

The big question though is why should you care? For each inch the head is forward from its ideal position it is like the muscles in your neck and upper back need to support the weight of the head again. It is not uncommon for us to see a Forward Head Carriage of 3 inches, that places a lot of strain on the neck and upper back, causing tension around your neck and shoulders that can lead to headaches, aching shoulders, restriction of movement, reduced lung capacity, expending more energy than you have to and an attractive hunchback posture. 

The posture is quite straightforward to correct with stretches and exercises that you can do at home. Many clients feel relief from the aching shoulders and headaches in a matter of days of consistent stretching! If you spend a lot of time working at a desk or in the car then these simple stretches can help you avoid falling into bad posture and can help you keep a clear head.

If you would like to see how your Forward Head Carriage is getting on, or are ready to do something about it please give us a call and we can help you get your head on straight again!