Cervical Exercise: - KnowYourBack.org

Posture Is Very ImportantTooIf your symptoms worsen while sitting, meaningthey intensify or move away from your neck,toward or into your shoulder, or down yourarm, it’s likely related to your posture. Mostof us have a habit of slouching and letting ourhead protrude forward(Figure 5). A forwardhead position, especiallywhen maintained for anextended period of time,commonly produces andaggravates painful neckconditions. To your painfullower neck, it is theequivalent of forwardbending at the waist thatso commonly aggravates apainful low back.Figure 5. Forwardhead positionGood neck posture means placing and maintainingyour head in a “neutral” position so, lookingfrom the side, your ears are aligned directlyover your shoulders (Figure 6). When you areunaccustomed to this position, it initially can feelawkward, like a chin-tucking position. But thisnew position places the weight of your head directlyover your supporting spine, like a golf ballnicely sitting on a small golf tee. That minimizesthe stresses on the discs and supporting ligamentsin your neck. It is helpful to sit with the same