If you want to learn how I fixed my nerd neck overnight then, do read my article carefully. While an overnight fix may seem “too good to be true” yet, it is definitely possible if you learn how to fix forward head posture fast.
I had nerd neck and I was carrying my vulture neck posture for a good 6 years. It was first ignorance and then, laziness that caused me to avoid taking my forward neck seriously.
Nonetheless, when the aches and pains backed by lack of optimal neck mobility struck me hard, I realized it was time to make a change. Believe it or not, I made this change – Overnight!
So, how did I do it? Well, read on to find out:
Contents of How I Fixed My Nerd Neck Overnight Write-Up:
1) The Mystery Surrounding Nerd Neck?
2) What was the Real Reason behind My Nerd Neck?
3) Top 8 Ways to Confirm if I Really had Nerd Neck or Not?
4) How I Fixed My Nerd Neck Overnight?
5) Takeaway
The Mystery Surrounding Nerd Neck?
Most of us reading my article are already aware of what a nerd neck is. Those who are not – well, let me explain:
This is a term that is used to denote an improper head or neck posture. Basically when your head is one or more inches ahead of the cervical spine, it is termed as a nerd neck.
While I do agree that the neck curves naturally to enable the head to sit tight and the chin to tilt forward, nonetheless, when you have a nerd neck, this natural curve is significantly enhanced or increased.
When someone looks at you, it appears as if you are stretching your head and neck forward to seek an object that is way beyond your reach.
To correct this posture, you tend to shift your chin upwards and push your head backwards.
This is incorrect and injurious.
Doing so, adds unwanted strain onto the uppermost portion of your cervical vertebrae. So, in a bid to fix your nerd neck, you end up increasing it even further.
So, why Call it a Nerd Neck?
Well, people with intellectual pursuits are known to sit for hours at length, reading a book or working on their laptops. People with intellectual pursuits are also termed nerds.
Now, coming back to the mystery!
This prolonged devotion towards laptops or academic books forces a nerd to strain his/her neck and head forwards. After all, reading, writing or working in front of a media screen for hours, forces the neck to lose its natural posture.
So, this unwanted act of pushing your head forward for almost every activity spoils your body’s natural balance. Besides, it also weakens the muscles of your neck and upper back.
So, you may not be a nerd yet, you may have a nerd neck.
What was the Real Reason behind My Nerd Neck?
I do not qualify as a nerd from any angle whatsoever. Nonetheless, I do have a nerd neck.
Do you know why?
Well, because I am always pushing my head forward and adding pounds after pounds of unwanted weight onto my cervical spine.
The Office or Video Games – Who is to Blame???
The reason for my forward head posture was first my passion for playing video games on my cellphone. Nonetheless, when I grew up, this passion was diverted towards completing my office assignments on my laptop.
So, it was a concoction of both.
First, it was the video games and then, the compelling notion to excel in my work front that took a permanent toll on my posture.
Nonetheless, the 2 inch tilt of my forward head was not limited to my laptop. It soon became a part and parcel of my life.
In a nutshell, while walking, reading a book (which I almost never did), fetching groceries, talking and even sitting idle, my head slid 2 inches forward by default.
Bad Posture was My Choice:
So, my bad neck posture was owing to my personal choice. I did not have a forward neck by birth. Hence, I cannot blame it to my genetics.
My text neck was a handiwork of a systematic destruction to the natural cervical posture that was unknowingly coined by me.
If I wanted then, I could have continued working on the laptop, watched reels, read books, took a walk and fetched groceries without compromising on my natural neck and head posture.
What was needed on my part was a conscious effort to try and maintain a head position that is closest to its natural form.
For this, I needed to:
@ first, learn if I actually have bad neck posture,
@ second, learn what correct head posture is,
@ finally, learn how to fix my forward head posture fast at home.
So, let us discuss all these three aspect in detail:
Top 8 Ways to Confirm if I Really had Nerd Neck or Not?
While your friends and family members may claim that you have forward head posture, it is very hard for you to believe them. Unless and until you are certain of it, you consider your posture as ideal.
At least I did!
So, here is a list of the top 8 questions that I answered to confirm my doubt:
Q-1: Do I have tension headaches?
A-1: Yes, I do have pain in the head that is comparable to mild or moderate in intensity.
Q-2: Do my shoulders and neck pain?
A-2: Yes, I have a numbing pain in my neck. It is almost as if, it is constant and a part of my life. On the other hand, the pain in my shoulder comes and goes.
Q-3: Do I suffer from a kyphosis hump?
A-3: Now I know why my buddies at workplace teased me by calling me ‘Rambo’. Yes, I do have shoulders that tend to slope forwards. I guess, you also term these as rounded shoulders.
Q-4: Do I suffer from muscle cramps often?
A-4: Absolutely yes. Most of these cramps are focused onto my lower half of the body – the calf area. Moreover, these cramps occur the first thing when I wake up in the morning.
Q-5: Do I get tired without doing any substantial physical activity?
A-5: Absolutely yes. In fact, I get fatigued just sitting on my easy chair or watching TV. And if I head out in the sun for just 5 minutes, I feel as though my entire body is drained of all the energy.
Q-6: Do I have pain in the jaw?
A-6: No, not really. It is not a pain but I do face an issue with regards to opening and closing my mouth. So, in a way, my jaw does not function as seamlessly as it did earlier.
Q-7: Does your arm and legs pain?
A-7: Well, to be very honest, I sometimes have a tingling sensation in my arms. At times, this tingling sensation stretching to my legs as well.
Q-8: Do I keep awake most night and have a tough time falling asleep?
A-8: Yes, this issue has also cropped up recently. I started to suffer from insomnia. Nonetheless, after lying in bed for an hour or two, I do manage to fall asleep. This is however a clear sign that I am not being able to sleep normally.
Tip: So, most of these questions (forward head posture checklist) resulted in an “affirmative” answer. This was a clear indicator that I was indeed suffering from a nerd neck.
How I Fixed My Nerd Neck Overnight?
So, we now come to the BIG question. How did I manage to reverse nerd neck literally overnight?
Well, to be very honest, my forward head posture fix was not achieved in 24 hours. Nonetheless, the process to fix my bad neck was achieved in a 24 hour time period.
So, how did I achieve the impossible? Kindly read on to know more:
The Acknowledgement:
The first step that I took was to make myself realize that I actually suffered from nerd neck.
So, I paid particular attention towards my head motion when I worked on a laptop or walked on the road or drove my car. For this, I installed a camera in my car and my workplace.
I then watched the video clips very carefully. In most cases, my neck was always sliding forward. It was at least 1.5 inches ahead of my neck’s natural posture.
This realization was vital because I needed to fix my bad neck posture issues. If I continued to think that everything was all right then, how could I fix my forward neck???
I Changed the Way I Handled Things
The second most important thing that I did was to adjust the way I handled my everyday activities.
@ To start with, I started to sit upright and kept my laptop screen at eye level.
@ I also adjusted my computer chair in such a manner that it forced me to NOT slouch while sitting on it.
@ When I drove my car, I sat in an upright position. I also ensured that I was able to look clearly into the rear view mirror without having to tilt my head up.
@ I even tried to look in front of me (at eye level) whenever I took a walk, jog or spoke to others.
@ I also viewed several videos that explained what an ideal head and neck posture really is.
@ I used a pillow that was fortified with memory foam. This was a cervical friendly pillow. It helped me achieve optimal neck posture when I slept at night.
I Got In Some Stuff & Got Rid of Some:
The next thing that I did was to chuck everything that was putting undue pressure onto my upper back and neck, out of the house.
This included my hand-held grocery bag, my academic books that were way too thick and heavy and finally, my old wooden chair that I had used for working on my desktop.
These I replaced with a “state of the art” computer chair and an ergonomic keyboard for my laptop. I also purchased a backpack for buying and storing my groceries into.
All these minor tweaks were directed towards improving my neck and head posture. To my utter surprise, they helped me a lot in fixing my forward neck naturally.
I Used Special Oils and the Palms of My Hands:
I started to massage my neck and upper back using my own hands. This perhaps was the easiest and most effective way to stimulate my weak neck muscles.
I also made use of cold pressed mustard oil or olive oil for the same. These massage sessions lasted 2 to 5 minutes. This is because massaging the back of my neck using my own hands was not at all easy.
Nonetheless, I performed these massages 2 to 5 times a day. The end result was simply fantastic indeed. Just 1 month later, my neck and upper back felt much better.
The aches and pains reduced and my neck muscles felt considerably stronger.
I Exercised my Neck Muscles:
The next offensive move to fix my nerd neck was to strengthen the muscles of my neck and upper back. For this I started to indulge in neck rotation.
@ Weighted Neck Thrusts:
I then twisted my neck to the left, while standing straight. I placed a 2 pound plate onto the right side of the head. Maintaining natural body posture, I pushed the plate upwards, using my right hand for support.
I performed 7 repetitions of this exercise.
I switched sides so as to accommodate both my left and right side of the head. This helped strengthen my neck muscles that were located on either side of the cervical spine.
@ Band Based Neck Exercises:
I also purchased a pair of resistance bands. Placing one end of the band onto the back of my head, I hooked the other end to the wall. I walked back till the resistance offered by the band was perfect.
I then pushed my head down thereby tucking my chin to my chest. Then, I pulled back without shifting my feet. This offered resistance on the back of my neck.
I performed 7 to 12 repetitions of this exercise to complete 1 set. I performed 3 sets of this exercise. So, the muscles located on my upper back and the back of my neck became stronger.
I Visited a Physiotherapist:
I also paid a visit to a physiotherapist. During that visit, I found that a few “chin specific exercises” really worked wonders in easing my forward neck. The most popular of these was ‘chin-tucks’.
I also had the physio perform his choicest rehabilitation based exercises. These seemed helpful but the sessions suggested by the doctor were far too many and the cost was way too high.
So, I decided to opt for home based forward neck treatment (the DIY method).
I Borrowed a TENS Machine:
The next thing I did was call up my buddy who had a TENS unit. This machine had tiny electrodes that I attached to the skin located at the back and side of my neck – just where the pain was.
The sticky pads or electrodes were connected by wire to the TENS unit. The electrical impulses thus delivered by the machine really helped relieve the pain in my upper back and neck.
Did I like it?
Well, the electrical currents delivered by the TENS unit were a bit frightening for me. While it did the trick, I personally preferred opting for an easier – exercise based therapy to fix my nerd neck.
Takeaway
Worrying too much that your neck posture is like that of a vulture or a crane, is a nerd’s thought process (pun intended).
While I did have a nerd neck for almost 6 years, without even realizing its presence, my acceptance to this bad neck posture made me fix my nerd neck overnight.
So, you too need do the same.
Accept that your posture is not perfect or natural. Also, do accept that if you continue to live your life with a forward neck then, your physical and mental complications would only increase.
To ease this suffering, first accept that you have a forward neck posture. Then, make an action plan to change it overnight. The final outcome may take a few weeks to a few months but, the end result would be nothing less than “fantastic”.