Computer & Smart Phone Posture Problems & Fixes Part 1: Forward Head Posture

In this Post:

What is Forward Head Posture?
What is happening to our neck in Forward Head Posture?
Correcting Forward Head Posture (guided exercises & stretches)
Video of guided stretches against the wall (it contains most of the info in this post if you want to go straight there!)
Healthy Office Ergonomics & Good Smart Phone Practices

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What is Forward Head Posture?

These days many of us are spending lots of time online - either working on the computer, possibly in a haphazard home office setup, in an endless stream of Zoom calls, or we’re enjoying social media on our phones on our free time. This can mean that at the end of the day we may be overcome with headaches, migraines, neck pain, blurry vision, TMJ (clicking jaw), fatigue, trouble sleeping, and even numbness & tingling of the arms or hands. Over time, we can develop degeneration of the cervical spine (the neck),& kyphosis (upper back overly rounded), both of which can also lead to reduced range of motion & nerve impingement.

And one of the main causes for all of these issues is that we have developed ‘forward head posture’.

The photo above shows a relatively easy way that you can check if you have forward head posture. Stand with your back against the wall. The heels should be fairly close to the wall, & the space between the shoulder blades should be in contact with the wall, but you are not leaning against it. If the back of your head is not naturally touching the wall as well, with the eyes straight ahead & the chin level to the floor, you have some degree of forward head posture. The further away the head is from the wall, the more severe the forward head posture. Please don’t be surprised if you have it, beause it’s a very common issue.

In this post, I am going to address some ways that you can start to correct this problem - because it is correctable, especially if you catch it sooner than later - and over the next few weeks I will look at other aspects of computer & smart phone posture problems & fixes. Next week’s post will address forward, elevated shoulders, and teach ways to open the chest and roll the shoulders back & down. In the first photo above, where my head is forward, you will also see that my shoulders are rolled up and forward, and that the chest is sunk. These issues: forward head, rounded shoulders, and collapsed chest - usually all go together - and there are ramifications further down the body in the abdominals, lower back, and hips (for example, all of this computer time is making our glutes tighter and weaker). Smart phone posture even goes further down into the knees and ankles - since we are often staring down at our phones when we are out and about.
Over the coming weeks I will speak to all of these issues, providing safe & accessible remedies.

All the exercises I am going to show you through this series are quite safe & accessible, however, if you do have neck issues, and suspect that forward head posture might be a part of the problem, it is best to consult with a physiotherapist to get assessed & advised. The neck is a particularly sensitive and vital area, and so it is best to proceed once you have been cleared for exercise by a healthcare professional with a specialty in musculoskeletal issues, getting the appropriate tests if recommended.

What is happening to our neck in Forward Head Posture?

In forward head posture, the neck (the cervical spine) gets flattened through most of the vertebrae, as the head shears forward, and then usually right at the base of the skull, at the top of the cervical spine, there is an excess of hyperextension, in order to bring the head to vertical so we can look forward. With ‘smart phone’ posture, the eyes are looking down at our phones, so the head is tipped down, instead of tipping up to look out. Either way, the natural, even curvature that we are meant to have, to keep our head balanced on top of our ribcage & spine with minimal effort, is flattened. This means that the muscles at the back of our neck & upper back have to work excessively to hold the weight of the head - which is often what causes the neck pain & headaches. It has been shown that our head, which might normally weigh 12 lbs when it is balanced on top of our spine, can end up feeling like it weighs 40-60 lbs, depending on how far forward our head is! Meanwhile, the muscles at the front of our neck get overly long and weak, and there is unnecessary strain on the muscles at the sides of the neck - which attach at the mastoid process behind the ear, which can lead to ‘clicking jaw’, or TMJ syndrome.
It’s a very imbalanced state that can create a snowball effect of pain & movement restriction issues.

Correcting Forward Head Posture

*I advise that all stretches of the neck be ‘mild’.
Because there are many nerves in this area, the neck is highly sensitive, and overstretching can be counterproductive.

The first photo in the above image shows the WRONG way to correct forward head against the wall,
and the 2nd photo shows the RIGHT way.

In order to get a sense of how to correctly position the head, the wall can be very useful. However, please do not just press the back of the head against the wall, because it usually causes further hyperextension at the back of the neck, and all the problems become worse. You can see in the first photo that my eyes and chin are tilted up, the front of my neck is jutting forward, and my shoulders have stayed rounded forward. None of this is good.

In the 2nd photo, I have placed a towel behind the head, which is handy because I can adjust the thickness of it, so that the back of my head is in contact with something, and I can then lengthen the back of the neck, draw the front of the neck in, & keep the chin and eyes level to the floor. The chest is more naturally able to lift and open and the shoulders are able to more easily fall back. Keeping my chin level to the floor, I gently try to slide the towel up the wall (think millimeters, not centimeters), producing a mild stretch in the back of the neck, usually right at the base of the skull. The space in between the shoulder blades should still be in contact with the wall, which causes the upper abdominal muscles to gently draw in (yay!) . Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, & perform once a day. While in the stretch, breathe and try to make this position feel as ‘natural’ and ‘comfortable’ as possible. Imagine that there is a string at the crown of the head, gently lengthening the whole posture up, allowing the body to almost feel like it can hang down from the string. The crown of the head is more towards the back of the head, so as you lengthen yourself up, the chin and eyes stay level to the floor. For the correct sensation, think of lengthening up from the back of the ears. Let the shoulders relax down, and feel the weight of the tailbone and the feet.

You want to get a feel for this posture, so that you can reproduce it throughout the day, as much as possible, without the wall. The wall is a great place to frequently check in, just to make sure that you have the right feeling.

These next 2 exercises are also quite mild, but very educational. In the first photo, I am holding a ball between my chin and my chest. This teaches the front of the neck muscles to gently contract in to help support my head, it automatically makes the chest lift and open (try to keep the space between the shoulder blades still in contact with the wall), and the shoulder roll back and down. The muscles at the back of the neck gently lengthen, especially right at the base of the skull where it’s needed most. A rolled up towel could also be used. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing the whole time, realxing the jaw & the shoulders and perform just once a day.

The second photo is a general stretch for the back of the neck. In this stretch, also lift the chest up quite a bit, while still aiming to keep the space between the shoulder blades in contact with the wall (upper abdominals again draw in and fire - yay!). Then, keeping the rest of the spine tall, just tilt the chin in & down, and NOT forward. Imagine that you are trying to hold a pencil between your chin and your throat. Stay in this stretch 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing the whole while, and perform just once a day.

If after 48 hours you notice no negative side effects of these stretches, keep doing them. If you do have any adverse effects, consult your physio. These exercises are mild and so if they cause any adverse effects, I would advise that you investigate that further.

Here is a short video of the neck stretch, plus a full deep stretch of the whole back, that should feel fantastic for almost everyone. I hope you enjoy.

Healthy Office Ergonomics & Good Smart Phone Practices

Simple changes to your office setup or to how you use your phone can make a world of difference.

Office

Your chair allows you to sit up tall with both feet flat on the floor.
When you look straight ahead, you see the top 1/3 of your computer screen. You shouldn’t need to look down.
Your forearms are parallel to the floor when typing on the computer
Your elbows can rest comfortably in by your sides.
You are able to maintain symmetry through your body through most of your day.
You don’t need to hold your body in a twisted position to access your equipment.
If possible, switch which hand you ‘mouse’ with frequently.
Bonus: good ventilation, access to fresh air, & drink water throughout the day

Phone

Try to have your phone at eye level - for example, when sitting at a table, you might rest your elbows on the table as you scroll on your phone
Try to use both hands, or switch from hand to hand when scrolling/typing/swiping, so one side does not get overused

For Both

Set a timer to take breaks: get up, stretch, breathe fresh air
Use your free time to be active, in nature is ideal, to counteract the computer time that is an increasingly necessary part of our work day.
Adjust your screen settings to emit less blue light

Stay tuned as next week, I focus on opening the chest & shoulders safely & effectively.

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