Is this you? Yes, I am talking about you now.
Among those who always lower their heads to play with mobile phones and use computers for a long time, there are more and more such [turtle neck]: the neck leans forward unconsciously, and the head extends forward excessively (also called [head extension]), often appearing together with chest, hunchback, etc.
Sleeping pillow is too high, or lack of back movements in strength training leads to muscle strength imbalance, which may also cause head extension.
Do you think that your neck is just a little bent…
It won’t matter if you let it go… Is it?
If you don’t correct your head forward posture for a long time, there will be many problems!
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Chronic muscle strain, disc herniation
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Nerve compression, tension headache
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Vital Capacity Decreases, Affecting Cardiovascular Health
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Blood circulation slows down, affecting cerebral blood supply.
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Ugly! Ah! Affect the image!
A young man in his 20s and 30s looks like an old man over 60. Girls’ already small breasts may look even smaller…
What should I do? ! Dr. Clove has a unique skill.
One move to relax the neck muscles
If the head is extended forward for a long time, the deep extensor muscle groups (hemispinal muscle, longissimus muscle, head clamp muscle, suboccipital muscle, etc.) in the neck will become very tense.
When many people complain about [neck affliction], what they want to express is that this position is heavy and stiff. In severe cases, it will cause dizziness or headache and other symptoms.
Because of the deep layer, these muscles cannot be relaxed well by stretching. At this time, we can use massage balls or tennis balls and other similar objects for massage and relaxation, and the effect is very good.
Move your head, find the area where you can feel a little pain, and repeatedly roll and press in a small area for 5 minutes. Do it on both sides, keep relaxed during the process, close your chin, and do not shrug your shoulders. Who knows the relief effect?
Two Ways to Stretch Tension Muscles
1. Stretching of sternocleidomastoid muscle and anterior middle scalene muscle
Stretch and relax the tense superficial neck muscles and fascia. Each side lasts for 30 seconds and repeats 3 times. In the process, stand up straight and do not shrug your shoulders.
Step 2 Stretch your chest
The posture of head extension is mostly accompanied by chest and round shoulder. At this time, we cannot ignore the stretching of chest muscles.
As shown in the figure below, with both hands on the door frame, lunge forward to feel the pull in the border area between chest and shoulder. You can also move your arms and try stretching at different angles for 30 seconds at a time, repeating 3 times.
Three Ways to Strengthen Weak Muscles
After relaxing the tense muscles, we should start to exercise the muscles used to fix and maintain the normal posture of the head.
Step 1 Close your chin
Do the action of closing your chin to make you feel that the back of your neck is elongated.
During the process, move your chin horizontally backward to ensure that your eyes and chin remain horizontal and do not move up and down for 5 seconds at a time and repeat 30 times.
When you feel relaxed doing this action, you can try to increase the load of gravity, as shown in the following figure.
Step 2 Nod
We also need to strengthen the training of deep cervical flexor muscles.
Lie on your back on the bed (or yoga mat) and nod while maintaining the above chin closing posture.
The whole process should be relaxed and slow. You will feel a slight stretch behind your neck for 5 seconds at a time and repeat 30 times. Similarly, if you want to advance, you can leave your head suspended against gravity.
3. YTWL
Through this group of movements, the strength of the weak muscles in the back can be strengthened, and the posture of hunchback can be prevented and improved.
Pay attention to keep the shoulder blades (two large butterfly bones on the back) squeezed in the whole group of movements, with the thumb facing up and the upper back straight. Do 10 times from Y to T, 10 times from T to W, 10 times from W to L, and do 3 groups each time.
Improving the range of motion of thoracic vertebra
Lack of back strength training movements leads to imbalance of muscle strength, or sleeping pillow is too high, which may cause head extension and often lead to stiffness and greater curvature of thoracic vertebra.
However, the reduction of thoracic vertebra flexibility can easily affect shoulder and neck, trunk and hip joint, but it is often neglected. Therefore, attention should be paid to improving thoracic vertebra mobility.
Step 1 If you have a foam shaft
It can relax the soft tissue around the thoracic vertebra and improve the mobility of the thoracic vertebra.
2. If there is no foam shaft
You can do the following actions: support your hands and knees at four points, bow your back when exhaling, and feel the gentle extension of your spine; Inhale when collapsing. Do 20 alternation for each group, 3 groups each time.
Or, support your knees with one hand, place one hand behind your head, rotate your thoracic vertebra to the greatest extent, keep your ribs down as far as possible, and hold them at the highest position for 5 seconds. Do both sides, 20 times in each group, and do 3 groups.
In addition to training, the most important thing is to always pay attention to keeping correct posture in life.
If you have worked and studied for a long time, used your computer for a long time, played your mobile phone for a long time, and read, praised and shared Dr. Clove’s popular science articles, you will get up and walk, look up and have a rest. Yes, that’s you ~