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Posture – A common culprit for neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches | Ottawa
Posture- A common culprit for neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches | Ottawa

Forward Head Posture, Neck Pain, Posture, Rounded Shoulder

We’ve all been guilty of bad posture at some point or another. Our friends and relatives are often commenting that we should “sit up straight” or “stop slouching”. Take a look around and you’ll find most people with their heads tilted down while gazing into their phones, or with their shoulders slumped forward while typing away at their desks. It’s no wonder our neck and shoulders ache at the end of the day and many of us suffer from tension headaches.

Good posture is when we keep our center of gravity aligned through the joints of our body that are intended to carry our weight. Our posture is compromised when we spend hours hunched over our desks or on our tablets. When our bodies are forced into un-natural positions for prolonged periods, we place an increased load on our necks and shoulders. This can result in “text neck” or the dreaded “hunch back”.

Beyond the aesthetic implications of poor posture, these prolonged, un-natural loads on the body can have negative consequences on our health.

Rounded shoulders can lead to shoulder sprains/strains, while anterior head carriage could be the reason behind your chronic tension headaches or even your TMJ. Furthermore, tight rounded shoulders can compress the circulation and nerve conduction to our forearms and hands, leading to numbness and tingling.

To improve your posture at work, you can:

  • Avoid standing or sitting in one position for too long
  • Use supportive footwear and avoid excessive use of high heels
  • Practice belly breathing from the diaphragm, while engaging our core while standing/sitting
  • Make sure your feet are flat on the floor while sitting
  • Adjust your screen monitor so it is at eye level
  • Sit with your knees level to your hips
  • Stretch your pecs in a corner 1-2 times per day to help with rounded shoulders

If your posture is causing you headaches, shoulder, or neck pain, call Kinetic Edge at 613-680-7966 to schedule an assessment with a registered physiotherapist or chiropractor. We  offer many services which can assist in improving your posture and decreasing your pain and discomfort.

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About KineticEdge

Kinetic Edge prides itself in delivering high quality, evidence based care with experienced therapists. Owned and operated on Carling Avenue for over 8 years many of our therapists have over 15 years of clinical experience. We are a multi-disciplinary clinic offering registered massage therapy, physiotherapy and chiropractic in private treatment rooms. Treatment techniques includes Shockwave Therapy, Dry Needling, Rolf Method of Structural Integration, Thai Massage, ART and Functional Range Conditioning and Flexion/Distraction decompression therapy.