To effectively address Head Forward Posture, you have to have a basic understanding of the structure and function of a healthy spine, and how these can be impacted by stress responses. Head Forward Posture is quite common, so there’s no shortage of advice on how to address it. However, remedies often focus solely on adjusting the position of the head and neck. We’ll explain why this approach won’t work and what will instead!
Understanding the Spine
The human spine is a wonderful feat of engineering. It is strong, yet mobile, allowing you to twist and move in lots of different ways whilst maintaining stability. Your spine isn’t straight but follows a natural S-curve, which enhances the spine’s ability to withstand stress and strain by effectively distributing weight, thus creating more stability and support. The spine also connects parts of our skeleton to each other: the shoulders and arms, rib cage, head, and pelvis.
The three main curves are:
- Lumbar Curve (Lower Back): This inward curve, called lordosis, supports the spinal column.
- Thoracic Curve (Mid Back): This outward curve, known as kyphosis, supports the chest and abdomen and helps maintain an upright posture.
- Cervical Curve (Neck): This inward curve supports the weight of the head and is predominantly responsible for neck movement.
What is Head Forward Posture?
The human head is heavy – around 5kg (11lbs)! When the spinal curves are balanced, this weight is evenly distributed, allowing the head to rest comfortably on top of the spine without any extra muscular effort. However, when the head shifts forward out of alignment with the spine, this puts extra stress on your muscles to maintain this posture.
If you move your head in front of your spine and keep your face pointing forward (you need to see where you’re going!) you’ll notice a few changes: the back of your neck shortens slightly, your shoulders round, and your chest sinks and tightens. This causes the mid-back to round more than usual. This is known as hyperkyphosis, an excess of the normal kyphotic curve, also referred to as Upper Cross Syndrome.
If Head Forward Posture becomes your “new normal,” you might start to notice a build-up of tension in the neck and shoulders, tightness in the jaw, throat, and chest, pain in the mid-back, and more frequent headaches. This posture can also lead to functional disorders such as temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD), muscle pain, tension headaches, and restricted movement in the shoulders and rib cage.
Why Moving the Head Back Isn’t Enough
A common approach to addressing Head Forward Posture is to train the head and neck to move back into alignment on top of the spine. This is often done by stretching the chest muscles, tucking the chin, pushing the head back against a wall, and holding the position for several minutes.
This approach might offer temporary relief, but it isn’t a long-term solution: It doesn’t address the underlying issue and may ultimately create more tension in the end.
Why?
Because the head and neck are only symptoms of the problem. They are not the root cause.
What Causes Head Forward Posture?
A habituation to the Red Light Reflex results in Sensory Motor Amnesia.
Let’s unpack this.
The Red Light Reflex, also known as the Startle Response, is a pattern of muscular tension that draws us inward toward the center. It occurs in response to a variety of situations: a sudden, loud noise, prolonged stress or trauma, sitting slumped over a computer or technology for long hours, driving, or even cycling. Every time you trigger this reflex, your muscles retain a little tension. If any of these things (or a combination thereof) occur regularly, that tension builds over time. This can eventually lead to a general withdrawing and sinking into the center of your body. It’s this sinking and tightening of the abdominals and chest that pull your shoulders, head, and face forward. When tension builds in the front of the body, the back muscles will co-contract in response, creating that familiar mid-back tension commonly experienced by those with Head Forward Posture.
You are now experiencing something called Sensory Motor Amnesia, where tension has become normalized to the point where you forget that it’s there and can no longer feel it. This means that the affected muscles are now “offline” and your brain (which controls the muscles) no longer has full control over them.
What Can You Do About It?
If you try to force your head and shoulders back in line with your spine, it’s going to require a lot of effort. You’ll be fighting fire with fire—in this case, tension with tension—and it’s not going to get you anywhere in the end.
Let’s look at this differently: Instead of forcing your head and shoulders back into place, focus on releasing tension in the front of your body. After all, it’s this tension that’s pulling your shoulder and head forward and nothing will change until you address it. This is the most effective and comfortable way to restore alignment and balance for the long term.
We recommend learning the Flower, a wonderful Somatic Movement that can help you begin to undo Forward Head Posture. In this movement, you will be gently exaggerating the Red Light Reflex and then slowly and gradually releasing it.
The technique we use is called Pandiculation. This is a process whereby the brain can regain some control over the muscles that are holding tension. By contracting the muscles rather than stretching them, you essentially “wake them up.” As you release this contraction, you’ll start to release the tension that your muscles were unknowingly holding onto. When done repeatedly and consistently, you’ll help your muscles to relax. Your head will naturally move back in line with your spine, so you can stand tall and straight without the constant pull forward.
Conclusion
Your spine is designed to support a range of movements and maintain balance through its natural lordosis and kyphosis curves. If your head is no longer in line with your spine, it’s possible that you are experiencing hyperkyphosis in the mid back due to a habituation to the Red Light Reflex.
Movements like the Flower gently recreate and decreate the pattern of muscular tension that’s causing the Head Forward Posture and will help your muscles to release tension and relax. The less tension there is in the front of the body, the easier it will be for your head to align naturally on your spine comfortably.
Slouching and rounding your back are natural human movements and part of a healthy range of spinal motion and flexibility. But you don’t want to get stuck in an excessively rounded position.
If you do find yourself stuck there, the key is to address the full body pattern of tension that is causing this posture in the first place. When you look at the whole system, rather than just the place where it hurts, you will be well on your way to restoring optimum balance and comfort and alignment. This holistic approach will enable you to breathe more deeply, think more clearly, and move more easily.
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