How to Restore a Healthy Neck Curve

Originally posted on December 29, 2017

Poor daily habits affect our natural neck curve, but there are a number of good daily habits to restore a straightened cervical spine.

How to get the natural curve back in your neck:

• Adjust your workspace. Position your monitor to be directly in front of you, three inches above eye level. Feet rest flat on the ground beneath you and your shoulders are back. Also, take breaks every 45 minutes. This will not only circulate blood flow but help you reevaluate and resettle into a correct sitting posture.
• Avoid looking down at your screen. This includes your phone! It feels silly, but hold your phone out in front of you to read, or prop yourself against a chair or pillow to avoid looking down at your screen.
• Avoid sleeping on your stomach – this leaves no choice for the neck but to be twisted and lifting out of alignment. Repeatedly sleeping on your stomach causes changes in spinal curvatures.
• Keep items out of the back pocket. This sounds small, but repetitively twisting and reaching back for items like a phone or wallet in the back pocket creates a chronic imbalance. Keep small possession in your front pockets or in a carrying parcel.
• Keep your shoulders back at all times. Ears should always be lined up vertically with your shoulders.
• Switch your purse occasionally. If you carry a heavy purse or bag on one shoulder every day, try rotating throughout the day or switching during the week. Over time, you will wear one side of the body down. Try wearing a backpack or cross-chest support for more balanced support, instead.
• Visit your chiropractor for X-rays of your cervical spine, so you know when and where you are facing changes or problems. You and your chiropractor will come up with a plan for a remedy together.