What we have found to stretch ligaments is that your everyday stretches won't do the trick. We need to stretch those areas back out to allow correction. Stretch Your Spine Traction is extremely important because when posture and alignment have been crooked over a long period, ligaments and muscles tend to shorten or be constantly tension-ed depending on the misalignment. The exercise for this is called head retractions where you 'retract' your head back, hold, and repeat. This is when the head shifts forward of where is really should be. For example, one of the most common misalignments is forward head posture. They are easy to do the key is to be consistent. Put your neck and back into the Right Posture These are what I call mirror image exercises. You really only need two, a lateral picture and an AP picture (one from the side, one picture from the front or back). Also, he or she may recommend x-rays for the neck this is the best way to see exact alignment. I put this one as number one because your chiropractor may also contribute to you doing the next four things on the list better. See Your Local Chiropractor for a Proper Adjustment of the Spine You may have guessed, you need to visit your chiropractor. The Great thing is that you can do something about it. It is easy to get into bad habits of neck posture that can cause neck pain, and stiff neck. Let look at 5 things you can do right now that will affect your neck curve. So you want to Correct Your Neck Alignment. Notice also that the disc space between C5 and C6 has decreased. Notice also the bone spurs that have grown at levels: C5 and C6. Imagine taking the banana and reversing its curve. In this x-ray where the curve has turned from the backward C into a regular C. Cervical kyphosis can progress to the point where the curve in the neck actually reverses. So this neck curve was normal at one point, then straightened out, and then kept going in the other direction. Here is another neck x-ray that shows that the neck curve can go in the other direction too. Going in the Other Direction: Cervical Kyphosis Progression of Loss of the neck curve to where the curve has reversed To See what happens with this cervical kyphosis continues, look at the x-ray below. This is known as Military Neck and loss of cervical lordosis, cervical kyphosis or straightening of the cervical spine. In fact you may even have a reversal of the normal curvature you can see it between segments C4-6. In fact you could probably take a ruler and draw a straight line down the bones of the neck. Notice there is no Curve in this person's cervical curve. Okay here is another person looking to the right. Loss of the neck curve to where the curve has straightened out What does Loss of the Cervical Curve Look like? Range of motion and function can be affected when the normal c curve is not intact. Flexion, Extension, Lateral flexion and rotation are all motions that the cervical spine does. Having a normal neck curve is important for proper motion in the cervical spine. The Curve in the neck measures 42 degrees. What Does a Normal Neck Curve Look Like? Check Out the Normal Neck Curve on X-ray. On the lateral neck picture above one can draw a line along the backs of all of the vertical bodies. You have to know what your neck alignment is before you can start correcting it. These two views will give you a good indication of your neck alignment. Also, another good x-ray to look at is called the AP cervical x-ray: from the anterior and posterior (from the front and from the back). This is an x-ray from the side of your neck. Specifically a lateral cervical neck x-ray. How does one Determine What the Neck Curve Looks Like?īy having a neck x-ray. Using Your Tablet Computer for long periods of time.Having bad neck posture while on your computer, or tablet.A sports injury: basketball, rugby, lacrosse.Talking on the phone for many hours a day, with your head cocked to the side.A Motor vehicle accident that caused a whiplash in your neck.What Are the Ways that One's Neck Alignment Can Be Out of Whack? Everyday activities can be a cause of bad neck alignment. Keep reading for more information about neck alignment and having it the best you can get. Notice the backwards 'C' line that is drawn on the x-ray? It has something to do with that. See the Person's X-ray on the Left ?- that looks like a pretty good neck curve, good neck alignment. This squidoo lens will showcase for you what a normal and abnormal neck curve look like on x-ray. When looking from the side you should have a smoothing flowing C-curvature. Ideal alignment is having your neck straight up and down when looking at your posture from the front or back. Let me start off by describing what correct neck alignment is. Normal and Abnormal Neck Alignment: The Five Things You Must Do to Correct Neck Alignment

Abnormal cervical spine x ray