A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 55
This skeletal movement influences
the surrounding muscle and connective
tissue in one of two ways. Muscles will
either be (1) lengthened, thus placing
them at a mechanical disadvantage for
their action, which eventually leads to
weakening, or (2) shortened, thus giving
them a mechanical advantage in their
action, leading to increased tension and
predisposing them to chronic-strain
injuries. Although there are two paths, the
end result of both is the same—chronic
overload, reduced functionality, and pain.
The upper cervical extensors will
shorten and ramp up tension in response
to the head's increase in weight to allow
the eyes to remain fixed on the horizon.
The upper neck will hyperextend,
thereby lengthening the deep neck
flexors and placing them at a mechanical
disadvantage, which further diminishes
the body's ability to resist gravity and
allows the head to slip further into FHP.
The scapular retractors will be
pulled apart and weakened as the
thoracic spine increases its kyphosis to
attempt to counterbalance the increased
weight of the head. Muscles of the
chest, anterior shoulder, and arm will
increase their tension as they become
mechanically advantaged as a result of
the decrease in their resting length.
Moving further down the kinetic chain,
the lumbar spine tends to hyperextend,
contributing to an anterior pelvic tilt.
The lumbar spine erectors and hip flexors
become short and tight and the abdominals
and glutes are pulled into lengthened
positions and weakened—this is a classic
example of Janda's lower-crossed syndrome.
ADDRESSING
DYSFUNCTION
As a general rule, bodyworkers should
avoid any techniques that lengthen, relax,
or decrease the resting tension in muscle
groups that have become mechanically
disadvantaged as a result of the client's
posture. Instead, techniques designed to
lengthen and reduce the resting tone should
be reserved for mechanically advantaged
areas. For areas of the body that have
increased their resting length, we would
want to use closing techniques to help the
body gain mechanical advantage, as well as
adjunctive therapies designed to increase
neurological activation and increase muscle
tone, with the understanding that with
enough time and repetition, the client
can slow or even reverse the lengthening
process taking place in those areas.
Notes
1. Ocean Advocate, "Orca Dorsal Fin Controversy—
Experts vs. SeaWorld," April 16, 2013, accessed
July 2017, https://oceanadvocatefl.wordpress.
com/2013/04/16/orca-dorsal-fin-controvery-experts-
vs-seaworld; Wende Alexandra Evans, "'Flaccid'
Fin Syndrome: Natural or Captive Phenomenon?,"
Nova Southeastern University (1996): 24.
2. Jennifer Kennedy, ThoughtCo., "Killer Whale Dorsal
Fin Collapse," accessed July 2017, www.thoughtco.
com/killer-whale-dorsal-fin-collapse-2291880.
3. Lindsey Bever, "'Text Neck' is Becoming an
'Epidemic' and Could Wreck Your Spine,"
The Washington Post, November 20, 2014,
accessed July 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/
news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/20/text-neck-
is-becoming-an-epidemic-and-could-wreck-
your-spine/?utm_term=.1b58302e2506.
4. A. I. Kapandji, The Physiology of the Joints:
Vol. 3, 6th ed. (Churchill Livingstone, 2008).
5. Paul Comfort and Earle Abrahamson, Sports
Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention (Chichester,
UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010): 313.
Yoni Whitten, DC, is a native of San Diego,
California. He has been studying wellness and
human performance for over two decades. He
holds a bachelor of science in kinesiology with
a specialization in nutrition and health, and a
doctorate of chiropractic. For more information
on using the science of posture to improve your
clinical outcomes, help more clients, and have
more fun, go to www.posturescience.com. Contact
Whitten at drwhitten@wellnessworkssd.com.
heavily developed traps and complains of
neck or upper-back pain that tends to be
worse in the afternoon or evening and
diminishes when they lie down at night.
Very likely, this individual's tremendous
trap development is the result of carrying
around a head in FHP for years or decades.
Upon palpation, you will detect increased
overall tension, multiple "ropy" bands or
"gristle," and trigger points with the muscle
itself, as well as sensitivity to touch—even
light touch will often elicit tenderness.
Moving down the kinetic chain from
the head and neck, we arrive at the thoracic
spine. When a client's head has been
pulled into FHP, their body's response is
to increase the curvature of the thoracic
spine. This bowing or hyperkyphosis of
the spine in the opposite direction of the
head translation is the body's attempt to
counterbalance the significant increase in
weight from the head being carried forward
of its normal position. As with the alteration
of the normal curvature in the neck, the
increased curvature of the thoracic spine has
significant consequences. As the upper back
flexes to accommodate the weight increase at
the head, the scapulae become disassociated
from the spine, abduct from the midline,
and move forward into a protracted position.
