(abbrev. translation) On the left is the “straight” neck and on the right is a CT-scan photo of healthy cervical spine with that C-curve intact. Without that natural C-curve, just like for the spine’s S-curve, the function to absorb impact/shocks is compromised. What’s called the “spring” function. When that gently coiling “spring” function is gone, there’s more burden placed on the neck, shoulder muscles as well as to the tendons/bones and the nerves in that area. (tightness, soreness, tension headaches, frozen shoulders…cramps, pain… a big sigh…)
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I mentioned how I love shoulder stands whereby I talked about the benefits of that pose as long as it’s done correctly… There’s a lot going on with our neck in that pose and so it’s actually a nerve wrecking pose to teach in a group setting where I cannot possibly see everyone’s neck – when I was ignorant of what could go wrong, I was fearless but with knowledge comes …fear? Not – no fear still but rather … wisdom. Rather than saying the same thing in a different way, practically plagiarizing her, Dr. Gauci already says it so clearly: “A forward head carriage (colloquially known as a ‘computer head’) has become the standard ubiquitous posture in our western, computer-dominated society. Every 2-3cms that your head is forward of your shoulders doubles the weight of your head on your neck and shoulders! And an adult head weighs about 4.5-5 kg! (est. 10lbs) This causes a huge handicap to the extensor group of muscles on the back of our neck. ” – then she goes on to give us this great advice which I try to incorporate in the day to day:
How to Have a Happy Neck
Adjusting our posture requires gentle, consistent practice in our activities of daily living and when we practice our yoga asana and techniques. Here is a simple and effective correction to get the curve back in your neck. Take note of the ease, spaciousness and grace this brings to your posture and breathing.
Gently tuck your chin and imagine drawing a large smile under your chin where it meets your throat and from ear to ear. You will automatically feel a lengthening of the neck as the SCM (sternocleidomastoid) releases and the deep neck flexors are activated. You can exaggerate the sense of lengthening your neck by elevating the crown of your head toward the ceiling being careful to not lose the softness in the front of the throat and a sense of ease.
To strengthen the deep neck flexor muscles lie on your belly and come up onto your elbows in a sphinx posture. Now adopt the above posture or ‘smiling neck technique’. From here gently lift the back of your head and neck toward the ceiling. Check that you maintain a balanced shoulder position and that you are not elevating or rounding the shoulders in this position.
Neutral Cervical Spine
We often talk about the importance of a neutral low back in order to keep our lumbar spine happy. In the area of our cervical spine the majority of us are way off neutral with our straight modern necks. Neutral implies a place of ease where there is neither dominance, compensation nor inhibition. If you have facilitated SCM muscles it will pull your head forward and harden and straighten the benevolent curve in your neck. When we release the SCM the deep neck flexor muscles can engage. This enables a balanced position of ease with the muscle guywires of the neck in harmony and in the place of least resistance against gravity.
– Dr. Monica Gauci
Sometimes I see that people tend to over-compensate and have a tendency to protrude the chin up or out, hyper arching the neck – thinking that’s somehow “relaxing”…it’s actually stressing your neck more… so shoulder stand and then onto counter pose of fish … really good for you but done carefully…
