Here’s How Your Bad Posture Is Causing Your Headaches(!)

September 17, 2018Dr. Grant Radermacher

Bad posture can be a real pain.

Ergonomics is the study of your body’s posture and position. Sound boring? Sure, its not the most exciting topic ever, but consider that literally millions of Americans suffer every day from headaches that are directly related to their posture! Whether it’s on your phone, your tablet, your laptop, or at an assembly line, the fact is that most of us are spending a lot of time looking down.

Studies have shown that for every inch your head extends forward or flexes down, up to 20 pounds of extra pressure is placed directly on your neck. This extra stress causes irritation and inflammation to the soft tissues surrounding your spine and can lead to everything from premature degenerative changes to chronic tension headaches.

Keeping a healthy posture not only keeps stress and pressure on the joints in your neck, but it also can help dramatically reduce the frequency and severity of tension headaches. And the first step in regaining good posture is re-establishing normal joint motion. That’s why, for headache sufferers, seeing a chiropractor regularly is something you absolutely shouldn’t be missing out on.

At Ascent Chiropractic we focus on identifying the specific areas of your spine that aren’t moving correctly and work to gently restore their normal range of motion. After we re-establish proper movement we then shift our focus to strengthening the muscles stabilizing and supporting your neck and upper back. This personalized type of treatment, specific to what’s happening in your body, is how we’ve been able to help so many patients establish better posture and reduce or eliminate their tension headaches.

The Bottom Line

• Every inch of forward head posture places up to 20 lbs of pressure on your neck
• This pressure is directly responsible for many tension headaches
• Research has shown chiropractic care can dramatically improve your posture and reduce  headaches

Take a look around your workstation the next time you are at the office. Is it set up in a way that’s ergonomically correct? If not, it’s time to get it fixed! To make an appointment at Ascent Chiropractic, call 262-345-4166 or schedule an appointment with our online scheduling app.

Sources:
Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Chiropractic Treatment of Adults with Headache. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Volume 34, Number 5. 2011
Efficacy of Manual and Manipulative Therapy in the Perception of Pain and Cervical Motion in Patients with Tension-Type Headache: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial Journal of Chiropractic Medicine. (2014) 13, 4-13