If you have flat neck syndrome, you may be predisposed to injury because the restriction of movement reduces the shock-absorbing capacity of the spine. While not among the most severe of neck maladies, this condition may affect your well-being in one or more ways. One particular exercise that nearly every health provider who treats this condition gives to their patients is the cervical retraction exercise. Symptoms Linked To Cervical Misalignments. F.A. We are born with our kyphotic curves; we develop our lordotic curves as we gain the ability to lift our head and learn to walk. The condition, in which the upper back is abnormally flat, increases the risk of spinal compression and degeneration. Cervical kyphosis. An intact cervical curve is vital to proper spinal motion. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Spine surgery (called "iatrogenic injury"). In rare cases, surgery may be needed if a spinal cord disruption occurs.. Text neck and neck pain in 18-21-year-old young adults. al. Changes that occur to this curve, as evaluated on X-ray, are often the result of the normal aging process but may also be accelerated by poor postures. There can also be increased flexion (forward bending) at the joint between the skull and the first bone of the neck. The excessive bending at this location exaggerates extension through the cervical spine and all of the spinal structures below. For this reason, kyphotic and lordotic curves are sometimes referred to as primary and secondary curves, respectively. Furthermore subjects with a straightened or reversed cervical curvatures were 18 TIMES more likely to be in the chronic neck pain group as compared to the non-pain group. If you have characteristics of flat neck syndrome and are experiencing pain or abnormal sensations of any sort, particularly in the neck or at the base of the skull, see your doctor or ask for a referral to an orthopedic specialist. What Injuries Can People Have of the Cervical Spine? With an axial extension, there's less movement available, partly because you have to engage the muscles so strongly to maintain the position. Your entire spine will adapt, bend, and twist in a variety of different ways to compensate for what’s going on within your neck. Moreover, because the condition is not inherently associated with pain, you may not be aware of your limitations until an injury actually occurs. 2017;42(21):1614-1621. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000002160. A normal neck has a gentle curve to it, the degree of which can vary according to the position you are in. Davis Company. It essentially takes your spine out of its neutral position and increases the gravitational compression placed on the spine. Philadelphia, PA. 2002. While this extension, known as an axial extension, can be beneficial in correctly spinal curvature problems, it can be counterproductive if your spine remains in that position. For over 15 years, he's practiced at the Kansas University Medical Center, where he is also a professor. University of Maryland Medical Center. When viewed from the side, two curves—often called "normal kyphotic curves," or kyphosis—go backward. Your spine is divided into four curves. Ⓒ 2020 About, Inc. (Dotdash) — All rights reserved. After that, secure it with a rubber band or duct tape to make the roll tight. Anne Asher, ACE-certified personal trainer, health coach, and orthopedic exercise specialist, is a back and neck pain expert. Damasceno, G., et. Spine. Because of this, some people seek the care of a chiropractor in an attempt to reverse this curve. Kinser, C., Colby, L.A., Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques. In some cases, people are born with a reversed curvature of the neck. Degenerative Joint Disease/Osteoarthritis, Chronic Muscle Spasm And Loss Of Range Of Motion, Cardiovascular And Blood Pressure Problems. The inward curve of a healthy cervical spine sits in a position to support the head and protect the tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones, and nerves of this region. We can help correct spinal biomechanics, restore normal function, and get you out of pain and on the road back to optimal health. Cervical Alignment Variations in Different Postures and Predictors of Normal Cervical Kyphosis: A New Understanding. After the neck curve reaches straight, it may even move into the opposite direction, a condition aptly named reversed neck curve. To give your neck a break and restore healthy curve, you can use a cervical roll. But should you lose this curve, through injury, misalignment that is sustained over a long period of time, or for another reason, you may find the rest of your body's posture is affected, too. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. al. A decreasing lordotic curve is not the only characteristic of flat neck syndrome. Open Orthop J. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. A decreasing lordotic curve is not the only characteristic of flat neck syndrome. But should you lose this curve, through injury, misalignment that is sustained over a long period of time, or for another reason, you may find the rest of your body's posture is affected, too. Cervical Alignment Variations in Different Postures and Predictors of Normal Cervical Kyphosis: A New Understanding, Chronic neck pain: making the connection between capsular ligament laxity and cervical instability. neck moves from a reverse c-curve to a kyphosis with a slight reverse at the top While the entire spine system, including the neck, possesses natural curves from the base of the skull to the sacrum (tail bone) it is not uncommon for people to progressively lose this curvature as they age. Read our, Medically reviewed by Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT, Medically reviewed by Jonathan Cluett, MD, Medically reviewed by Stuart Hershman, MD, Medically reviewed by Diana Apetauerova, MD, Medically reviewed by Mohamad Hassan, PT, DPT, Verywell Health uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Self-Assisted Neck Stretches to Improve Neck Mobility, How to Treat Neck Pain for Non-Specific Cervical Spine Conditions, Causes and Treatment of Chiari Malformations, Explore the Anatomy of the Thoracic Spine, Easy Moves to Help Relieve Tension and Pain in Your Neck, Understanding Different Parts of the Spine and Why It Is Curved, How Dorsal Kyphosis in Your Back Is Measured. Flat neck syndrome can affect the curvature in other parts of the spine, contributing to a problem known as a military back. While most people do not need treatment for a flat neck, some may benefit from massage, exercise and/or physical therapy. Loss of cervical curve goes by a number of names, including flat neck syndrome, cervical kyphosis, military neck, and when the reduction in the degree of the curve goes into the opposite direction of normal, reversed neck curve. 4th Edition. Isaac O. Opole, MD, PhD, is a board-certified internist specializing in geriatric medicine. There can also be increased flexion (forward bending) at the joint b… The loss of normal cervical curve is surprisingly common in patients who seek relief from neck pain, but it is often dismissed by healthcare professionals focusing more on life-threatening pathologies and less on findings which might develop into long-term chronic health problems. What Can You Do About Forward Head Posture? Flat neck syndrome can often place excessive stress on the ligament nuchae, the ligament which limits how much neck flexion you can do. McAviney, J., MS., et. Cervical lordosis with an outward curve, sideward curve, or straightened curve needs to be addressed to prevent further complications. Cervical lordosis (curve with the concave side facing backwards Some of the causes of flat neck syndrome and/or reversed neck curve include:. All Rights Reserved. By using Verywell Health, you accept our, 8 Signs to See a Doctor If You Have Neck Pain, Flat Low Syndrome Stretches and Exercises. Eur Spine J. Jan 2018. The loss of a cervical curve makes the muscles at the front of your neck far less flexible and may overstretch other muscles, including the anterior and posterior paraspinal muscles and suboccipital muscles. Charlotte Chiropractic Center, PLLC Copyright © 2016. The other two curves sweep forward and are called "normal lordotic curves" or lordosis. Hey HWD, Lau ET, Wong GC, Tan KA, Liu GK, Wong HK. Lay on your back on a flat surface and place the roll on the base of your neck. It is located at the back of your neck, starting at the back of the skull, and extends to the last bone in the cervical spine. Have your legs hip width apart with your feet turned out at … To do this, roll a hand towel length-wise. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Cervical lordosis (curve with the concave side facing backwards) is the normal curve of the neck that develops in early childhood. Bruegger’s– Sit at the edge of your seat. At Charlotte Chiropractic Center we understand how a loss of cervical curve affects biomechanics and your long term outcomes. Spinal curves help balance the spinal column and work together to counteract gravitational compression by redistributing the stress forward and backward rather than just up and down. 2014;8:326-345. doi:10.2174/1874325001408010326. Text neck and neck pain in 18-21-year-old young adults. If a problem in this area remains uncorrected, the spine will never function optimally. A normal neck has a gentle curve to it, the degree of which can vary according to the position you are in. March-April 2005. Flat neck syndrome, also known as a military neck, is a condition in which the normal lordosis of the cervical spine diminishes, or is even fully lost. The 20° cervical curvature amount was identified to be the best statistical predictor of which subjects had chronic neck pain vs. … But the loss of curve can go well beyond that. Steilen D, Hauser R, Woldin B, Sawyer S. Chronic neck pain: making the connection between capsular ligament laxity and cervical instability. Determining the Relationship Between Cervical Lordosis and Neck Complaints. It can be caused by: a degenerative disc disease an iatrogenic disorder a congenital disorder bodily trauma This can lead to degenerative wear-and-tear within the rest of the skeletal structure, and many times drive a person towards a life of chronic pain medication and surgery. Some injuries in people with flat neck syndrome can extend to the spinal cord itself, causing pain and pressure in the neck, numbness or tingling at the base of the skull, double vision, and difficulty swallowing.. Opole, MD, PhD, is a back and neck pain 18-21-year-old... Specialist, is a back and neck Complaints that, secure it with a reversed curvature of the neck characteristic! Cervical spine Liu GK, Wong HK contributing to a problem in area. 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