DR. HALL’s Forward Head Posture / Text Neck TEST:

Part 1:
Stand with your back up against a wall with your feet 2-3 inches from the wall so your buttock lightly touches the wall but you remain in good balance. Is your mid back touching the wall, or are your shoulder blades touching the wall? Take note of the answer.

Part 2:
Still in the same position, find the midpoint of the top or outer part of your shoulder (called the “humeral head”). Have a friend measure the distance from this point on the shoulder to the wall, and take note of the measurement (*1).

Part 3:
In the same position with your head and neck in “normal posture”, have a friend measure the distance between the wall and the opening of the ear canal (“external auditory meatus”). Take note of the measurement (*2) and subtract it from the measurement you found in Part 2, that is: *2 – *1 = D (the Difference).

INTERPRETTING Forward Head Posture / Text Neck TEST RESULTS:

Part 1:
Optimally, your shoulder blades SHOULD be the points you feel against the wall, not your mid-back. If your mid-back is touching (approximately 2-4 inches below your shoulder blades), you most likely have a thoracic posture known as Hyperkyphosis and this is not healthy in itself but also will set you up for Forward Head Posture due to biomechanical compensations that the neck must create to balance the spine.

Parts 2 + 3:
The difference between the wall to shoulder and wall to ear distance should be ZERO. If there is a difference, for every 1 inch of forward position of the head, scientists suggest 10 lbs of added stress to the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the neck. This causes real neck pain and increased load on the spine, whether sitting or standing.

DR. HALL’S TIPS TO IMPROVE POSTURE:

If you have FHP or text neck, consult your chiropractor for exercises, stretching and more tips to improve posture. Improve posture by using the PILLO1 cervical pillow, my revolutionary cervical pillow design. We often don’t choose our communication tools , but we DO choose our pillow. Sleeping on conventional or therapeutic pillows often push our heads, worsening FHP.  I hope these tips to imrpove posture are helpful!

About PILLO1:
Made in America, PILLO1 cervical pillow is hand-crafted to give you a full night’s rest and proper spinal alignment as you sleep. Created for back and side sleepers, PILLO1 is the best cervical pillow for eco-friendly customers, built with hypoallergenic non-toxic latex foam.

Learn more: www.pillo1.com

 

Dr. Hall
Dr. Ray Hall

Dr. Raymond Hall, the renowned DC, inventor, author, lecturer, television personality and sleep expert who has been honored by the International Association of Healthcare Providers as the "TOP CHIROPRACTOR IN CALIFORNIA" for 2015, 2016 and 2017. Dr Hall currently practices at Pacific Coast Sports Medicine in West Los Angeles and lives in Malibu, CA.