RESEARCH
Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states, “Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity.”
Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states, “Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity.”
According to A. I. Kapandji (Physiology of the Joints, Volume III), for every inch your head moves forwards it gains 10 pounds in weight. This relates to the muscles in the neck and upper back which have to work harder to keep the head from dropping onto your chest. This also forces the suboccipital muscles to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the suboccipital nerves.
Like reading research papers? Here are web links to speciific research relating to FHP
Top 10 Detrimental Effects Of The Forward Head Posture Epidemic
1) Increases Neck Pain Disability
2) Contributes to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
3) Postural Cause of Cervicogenic Headaches
4) Chronic Trigger Points in Suboccipital Muscles
5) Causal Factor in TMJ Syndrome
6) Higher Risk of Oseoporotic Fractures
7) Associated With Dizziness and Vestibular Function
8) Reduced Respiratory Function
9) Often Found with Persistent Asthma
10) Higher Mortality Rate Among Elderly
2) Contributes to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
3) Postural Cause of Cervicogenic Headaches
4) Chronic Trigger Points in Suboccipital Muscles
5) Causal Factor in TMJ Syndrome
6) Higher Risk of Oseoporotic Fractures
7) Associated With Dizziness and Vestibular Function
8) Reduced Respiratory Function
9) Often Found with Persistent Asthma
10) Higher Mortality Rate Among Elderly
A TAPING SOLUTION
Kinesiology tape is an amazing simple rehab tool that improves posture – and patients can tell the difference immediately. Click here for a courtesy education PDF handout you can print and share with your patients.
Kinesiology tape is an amazing simple rehab tool that improves posture – and patients can tell the difference immediately. Click here for a courtesy education PDF handout you can print and share with your patients.
Either buying tape in rolls and trimming it yourself, or using pre-cut tape sections, the application for a structural protocol has the patient stand in an optimal vertical posture and the tape is stretched slightly to give support in the mid back region. This helps keep the shoulder blades back simulating an improved posture.
Applying kinesiology tape in Postural and Cervical applications helps hold adjustments and retrains spinal postural muscles and the nervous system. For larger patients, adding an additional strip above and below the Postural application supports the retraction of the scapula. Because of the chronic nature of postural distortion, many patients benefit from repeated taping applications up to 12 weeks for optimal rehab.
Applied to the mid back of the patient, kinesiology tape may be worn continuously for up to five days in which the client can exercise and shower. This is an innovative functional medicine approach to modulate pain and myofascial dysfunction.
Structural applications are designed to dynamically support better static and dynamic postural positions, provide relative immobility in order to prevent harmful ranges of motion without a hard end feel, and reduce strain on affected muscles and joints.
The improvement in posture and scapular stabilization allows for overhead arm elevations without the risk of impingement. Once the scapula is stabilized, the client can then condition the appropriate musculature to develop the proper strength and length/tension relationship of the muscles involved.
