Sunday 27 September 2015

Lengthen the Back of Neck - Habit of the week

We want to walk tall in the world, not downhearted.  So we seek to lift up our heads - to improve our posture, to see where we are going, to prevent a fall. Great.  However, we can lift up our head in a way that enhances the health of our neck.  In other words, there is a right way and a wrong way.

The wrong way

If we lift up our heads by lifting the chin, we shorten the back of our neck.  This has a number of adverse effects. Firstly, it can cause a "head forward posture" which has implications for the posture throughout the body. No thanks.  It means an unhealthy tight curve in the back of the neck, which may lead to neck pain and headaches.

The right way

When we lift up our head by seeking to raise the crown of the head, we are able to lengthen the back of the neck.  To put it another way, ensure your eyes are level with the horizon.  This means we are switching on the core muscles of the neck. It helps us keep alignment through the rest of the body.

A small change can have big consequences.  Habit of the week -  Lengthen the back of the neck.

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