This week’s goal…….look up!
We spend so much time looking down; at work, on our cell phones, computers, reading books, etc. Rarely do we give our necks a break and look up. The normal weight of our head is about 10-12 pounds. Our spines and bodies were made to easily hold this weight up. The further we move our heads forward and the more we look down, the more force is placed on our spine and surrounding muscles.
Looking all the way down at your phone or tablet can cause your head to weigh about 60 pounds! It’s no wonder so many people today are wandering around with sore upper back, shoulder, and neck muscles. Walking around looking down is like trying to walk around while supporting the weight of an eight-year-old on your head! This leads to degeneration in the bones and discs of the spine and is harder to correct the older you get.
One of the best stretches you can do for your neck is what I like to call the collarbone hold. Take both of your hands and place them on your collarbone and pull down.
Now, try to look up. Certain muscles attach to the collarbone, and when they are too tight, our collarbone travels upwards when we look up. In order to stretch those muscles, we have to hold our collarbone in place. Once looking up is less of a stretch, try tilting your head to the left or right and jutting your chin out.
You will notice different muscles being stretched this way as well!
Luckily for you, there are also some great things to look up at!
The Perseid Meteor Shower just passed, but Venus will be stationed in the lower western sky soon after sunset this week and the full moon will hit Wednesday night.
So whenever you get the chance this week, look up. Even if it's just for a few seconds, developing this habit will help to stretch out the front neck muscles. This will decrease the anterior pull on the head and you will automatically be able to keep your head further back than before!
yours in health,
dr samantha boldt
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