Sometimes, at the end of a long day, especially one spent on the computer, my neck and upper back muscles start to protest and I know they need a break from holding up my head and quick!
Has this ever happened to you?
It’s not always pain though. It’s often just exhaustion in my neck and back, but it’s still a feeling that says it’s time to give the muscles holding up my skull a breather.
Your head weighs somewhere between 8-12 pounds, and it’s the heaviest part of your body. It’s kind of awkwardly balanced when you think about it—sort of like a bowling ball sitting at the top of a long, bendable, drinking straw, AKA, your spine.
Of course, your spine is designed to carry the weight of your head when it’s balanced at the top of your drinking-straw spine.
BUT, if you spend time doing modern human things, like reading, computering, cooking, driving, sitting on the back of your pelvis, looking at your phone, or standing with your pelvis shifted forward, there’s a big chance you’ve gotten used to letting your head fall out in front of your body in order to do whatever it is you’re doing.
The technical term for this is forward head syndrome or forward head posture (FHP).
When you spend a lot of time with your head out in front of you instead of balanced on top of you, it adds excessive pull and pressure on your spine as well as the muscles, nerves, and fascia down the back of your body.
This is especially true where your neck meets your back (i.e., where your cervical spine becomes your thoracic spine), and in your sacrum/low back area.
If you think you might have FHP or experience neck and back fatigue, today’s video is for you.
You’ll learn an adjustment you can easily make that’ll help create relief for your neck and back.
(It’s also vital when it comes to building bone density in your spine!)
It might feel a little weird at first, but I encourage you to practice it for a few days and see if you can feel a difference.
If you have a question or feedback, leave it in the comments section below.
With love and an aligned spine that’s always in process,
Sydney
8 Responses
Hey Sydney, Loved it. So need that. Have a huge bowling ball head. Susan
Thanks Susan!❤
Thank you! This is absolutely correct. I needed this reminder!
So glad this was a helpful reminder! Thanks for your feedback, Jan!
This feels so good. My head goes into alignment much easier ….which is a problem area for me ….when I visualize and use your stretch to ceiling when holding your head with both hands. Great exercise !
Thanks!
Wonderful, I’m so glad this was helpful, Theresa! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for helping me learn the location of the crown of my head. I had thought it was located in the middle of the top of my head!
Glad this video was helpful, Pam. Thanks for letting me know!