Best Maple Grove Chiropractic Office
For Forward Head Posture

Almost all of us know someone that has poor posture; rounded shoulders, a jutting chin, a hunched over back are all common characteristics of a deficient posture. We all know that this is bad for aesthetic reasons, but what most don't know is that there is a delicate relationship between the spine, nerves, bones, discs, and surrounding muscles and ligaments. Poor posture increases the load and stress that is placed on each of these components and over time can lead to changes like arthritis, poor biomechanics, and a myriad of other symptoms as more and more stress is placed on the nervous system.

This repetitive stress can lead to long lasting, devastating effects if left untreated and be accompanied by headaches, neck pain, low back pain, shoulder pain, to name a few. The chiropractic care that patients receive at Total Spine offers a safe and effective treatment option to keep you healthy and pain free.

So, what exactly is forward head posture in Maple Grove? What are the parameters that someone has to meet to have their condition classified as forward head posture and what is the significance of it? Let's first start out by defining what normal posture is when viewing someone from the side. In a perfect world our bodies were designed to be in a state of balance and support. This means that the head would be properly located over the rest of the body. So, if we were using specific landmarks on the body, the ear would be directly above the shoulder, the shoulder would be directly above the hip, the hip directly above the knee and the knee directly above the ankle. Forward head posture is just that, a forward translation of the head causing a loss of the normal neck or cervical curve. This change is often easily visible when evaluating posture.

This perfect world posture unfortunately is anything but common. The most common posture deficiency that we see is known as forward head posture or an anterior head carriage. This is caused by a loss of the cervical curve and a translation of the head forward. This may seem fairly insignificant, but the truth is, this is detrimental to the overall health of an individual.

• For each inch of forward head posture, it increases the weight of the head on the spine by an additional 10 pounds.
• 90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated through spinal movement.
• Forward head posture leads to chronic muscle strain, nerve compression, and eventually to
  things like arthritis and degeneration.
• Loss of the normal vertical curve can stretch the spinal cord 5-7 cm. This weakens the body and can lead to disease.
• Deviations in the body's posture can result in poor health, a decreased quality of life and a shortened lifespan.

So, how does chiropractic in Maple Grove help posture?

Maple Grove Chiropractors are doctors that focus solely on the structure of the body and its relationship to the nervous system. They use diagnostic techniques such as x-ray and posture analysis to determine the underlying condition of the spine. This not only includes assessing the condition of the spine and discs individually, but also the gross curvature and structure. Oftentimes, subluxations, or misalignments of the vertebra, alter the biomechanics, and weaken the overall structure. The best way to correct this is through a skilled and specific chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic is the best way to restore proper balance to your spine! Through specific rehabilitative exercises and stretches and additional therapies, we can help restore the proper curvature and alignment to your spine.

Check out our Maple Grove Chiropractic office to learn more about how we can help!