Forward head...

[lynnf]

Two words: Alexander Technique.

[tigerbaby]

Just went to one of my favorite yoga sites, DoYogaWithMe, and found several short routines for shoulder stretches, neck stretches, and routines centered around office yoga to relax those areas. DoYogaWithMe offers free streaming practices in high-def.

[Kathryn]

I think this takes a three-fold approach:

Stretching for chest and anterior shoulder: static stretches, lying supine draped over a stability ball; rolling shoulders back and down, clasping hands together behind back with straight arms, tilting chin a bit upward (don't compress the vertebrae in the neck), and thinking of expanding chest with each breath; cobra pose from yoga (lying prone, with hands outside of chest, lift upper body while keeping hips down, think of lengthening the spine).

Strengthening of postural muscles: band or dumbbell rear flyes; rhomboid squeezes (like in early Firm videos); lat pulldowns with bar to front (never to the back of the head); lat rows.

Postural awareness: standing with back to wall and making sure back of head, back of shoulders and butt touch the wall; being aware of standing ears over shoulders over hips over ankles, imagining a plumb-line passing through all those points.

[toaster]

Great points, Kathryn, and good suggestions, all.

I think that both the Shoulder & Neck segments from Total Body Solution by Debbie Seibers would also be useful.

[mizach]

My DH cannot follow any of the CS workouts. We tried 2 or 3 episodes together. He cannot follow. He has a problem doing 2 things at the same time. He has 2 left feet as well.
Our PT showed him how to move his neck back so his head is on top of his shoulders.
Thanks for that link bee! I bookmarked that youtube channel.

[herya]

Would this yoga routine be of any help? I like it precisely for the better posture feeling it gives me. It's 20 minutes of heart and shoulder openers, it includes a shoulderstand but it's optional and can be modified. It's quite static and deliberate so perhaps it would be realistic for your DH to follow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWuvwDOcZxk

This one is very good too and specifically posture orientated but it has more movement, plus being Anusara it might be a little too verbose for a beginner... but all this upper back work might be worth it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AF7aknb-ZA

[FitBoop]

This is a condition that is addressed in the Alexander Technique. While it is best done in the presence of a teacher, you can get some books or videos that explain the Alexander Technique. I studied it for years, and it helps with freeing the neck and getting rid of bad habits that affect posture and body use.

Here is a simple thing to do that will help with posture:

Lie on your back with a small book under your head (about an inch in thickness). Place a pillow under each knee. Rest your hands on your belly. Keeping your eyes open, think about freeing the neck and lengthening your spine. Think about widening across the shoulders. Free the jaw and the base of the tongue. Do this every night for 15-20 minutes.

[JP44]

ITA w/ Kathryn's suggestions & advice.

Also, lying on a foam roller (w/ your head & spine on the roller) w/ your arms extended outward is excellent for stretching your chest. I suggest a soft roller (OPTP type), not the styrofoam type ones.

I always tell my DH & kids, "Ears over shoulders. That's your posture goal."

Joan

[jerebo]

Originally Posted by FitBoop

This is a condition that is addressed in the Alexander Technique. While it is best done in the presence of a teacher, you can get some books or videos that explain the Alexander Technique. I studied it for years, and it helps with freeing the neck and getting rid of bad habits that affect posture and body use.

Here is a simple thing to do that will help with posture:

Lie on your back with a small book under your head (about an inch in thickness). Place a pillow under each knee. Rest your hands on your belly. Keeping your eyes open, think about freeing the neck and lengthening your spine. Think about widening across the shoulders. Free the jaw and the base of the tongue. Do this every night for 15-20 minutes.

Thanks for posting this one! I'm going to give it a try. Have you ever done it yourself? If so, just wondering if you found it helpful with forward head (like the OP's DH, I have a serious problem in this regard).

[jerebo]

I have Esther Gokhale's book 8 Steps to a Pain Free Back. She suggests a few different things for improving head and shoulder positioning. First are chest stretches, as so many VFers have already suggested, and stretches for the trapezius. She also suggests strengthening the rhomboids, as Kathryn mentioned, and the neck. Here are two exercises to strengthen those respective muscles (from her book):

Rhomboid Toner.

1. Start with shoulders pulled back and down away from ears.
2. Grab a theraband or strap with palms upward.
3. Pressing your elbows against your sides, draw your shoulder blades as close together as you can. Naturally your hands will move away from each other.

Neck Strengthener

1. Fold a 6-foot length of fabric into a 6-inch wide band.
2. Wrap the fabric band behind the neck and hold one end in each hand.
3. Get into a position on all fours with your shoulders directly above your hands and your hips directly above your knees.
4. Anchor the fabric securely under your hands, ensuring that the band is snug against the back of the neck.
5. Use your neck muscles to pull back (up) against the band.
6. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat several times.