The Dangers of Forward Head Posture

A friend of mine is absolutely addicted to her iphone. She starts each day by checking her emails on it. Anytime she gets lost she’s quickly bent over her phone looking up directions. She texts constantly and is always downloading and trying out new applications for the phone. Now my friend is complaining of neck pain, headaches, and shoulder tightness- common side effects of forward head posture.

Holding the head further forward than is natural is becoming more and more common with technologies like cell phones, hand held video games, ipods, etc. This forward head posture puts a huge strain on the spine, increasing the weight of the head on the spine by an additional 10 pounds for every inch of forward head posture.

Aside from muscle strain in the neck and shoulders, this type of posture can lead to disc herniation or a pinched nerve. It also puts more strain on your respiratory system. Shortness of breath can lead to bigger problems such as heart or blood vascular disease. The strain on the cervical spine also slows the creation of your body’s pain-controlling chemicals (endorphins) making the pain and discomfort even more intense.

It’s difficult with society’s growing reliance on hand-held technologies that only emphasize forward head posture. But don’t worry- you don’t have to get rid of your iphone just yet. Being more aware of the dangers and prevalence of forward head posture means you can help to avoid it. Keep your posture in mind, even while checking your cell phone, and you can avoid forward head posture and the health problems that accompany it.

Always keeping your neck posture in mind will be the biggest help but I often recommend a home neck traction unit to correct spinal alignment too.  A good 1st step is to start using our traction pillow for sleeping.


Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

Could Your Cell Phone Be The Cause Of Your Neck Pain?

It might seem crazy, but as technology grows, so does the chance to injure yourself. More and more new gadgets are coming out each month, whether it’s the new smart phone, an ipad, portable video games like Nintendo DS, or e-readers like the Kindle. As the world gets more connected, we have to take a look at what the downside of all this progress in technology has on our bodies.

While using this variety of new hand-held technologies, take a look at your body’s position. For example, imagine the last time you were texting someone on your cell phone. Your head was bent forward to look at the screen, and naturally your shoulders rolled forward as well. Rolled shoulders can lead to a concave chest or pelvic tuck, which can contribute to pain over time.

So next time you use your cell phone, or watching a movie on your ipad, or are reading your Kindle, or playing on a Nintendo DS- try to remember your posture! By repeating this forward head posture day after day you can cause serious problems. So sit up straight, keep your shoulders back, and if at all possible hold your phone or other hand-held device closer to eye-level to avoid putting that strain on your neck.


Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

The Many Uses of The Jackson Roll

A lot of people think the Jackson Roll’s sole purpose is to put behind your back while seated to support your lumbar curve. However, this is only one of its many uses. This pillow is one of the most versatile products. Not only is it a good low back support but it also can be used as a neck support, a leg rest for sleeping (while on your back, placed under the knees takes tension off back muscles), it can be placed under your abdomen or pelvis for low back comfort lying prone. Lastly, it can even help keep the pelvis in good alignment if placed between the legs upon side sleeping.


The Jackson roll is a fiber-filled support pillow that is cylinder in shape. Its dimensions are 17”x7” and it is available with a blue pillowcase.

The Jackson Roll Cushion is available for $29.00 at http://www.arc4life.com/


Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

Arc4life Giveaway for Cervical Linear Traction Neck Pillow

Made in the USA Blogger is doing an Arc4life Giveaway for one cervical linear traction neck pillow and a sample of biofreeze. Enter the contest to win America's #1 Neck Pillow. Contest ends June 12, 2010.

Source: Arc4life Giveaway


Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

To Nap or Not to Nap? Study shows students perform better with a Nap

Good news for all you “nappers” out there. A recent study reported on health.com found not only did college students who took a 90-minute nap perform better than those who did not – the nappers who dreamt performed 10 times better!

In the study, 99 college students were asked to memorize a complex maze on a computer. The students who performed 10 times better dreamt about the maze.


Additional Reading:

• Which Neck Pillow is Right For My Needs?
• Neck Exercises
• Remedy for A Stiff Neck
• Tips For A Good Night’s Sleep, And No Neck Pain When You Wake Up!
• Is It Normal To Move Around A Lot At Night When Sleeping, And Will A Neck Pillow Still Work For Me?

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!

Positive Affects of Staying Hydrated

Everyone always says how important it is to stay hydrated, especially now that the weather is getting warmer and more humid. The benefits of giving your body plenty of water are huge, and it’s so easy to do! The suggestion of having eight 8-ounce glasses of water in a day is no longer widely accepted. A good trick to find out how much water you should be drinking is to take your weight (in pounds) and multiply it by 0.5 and 0.7. The two numbers you get is the range of the amount of water you should drink, in ounces, each day.

Keeping your body hydrated will have incredible outcomes. Being dehydrated, or under-hydrated, can cause headaches and fatigue. Drinking more will keep you energized and reduce the number of headaches you have.

By drinking more water, you will also help boost your immune system. This means you will be less susceptible to colds and allergies simply by staying hydrated. Joint and muscle pain is another common complaint that can be aided by drinking more water. Another great benefit: when your cells are well-hydrated by drinking enough water on a regular basis, it is easier for them to burn fat. So a great tip if you’re trying to get fit or lose weight is to drink more.

So grab that water bottle and keep it with you throughout the day. Always having water with you will make it even easier to keep hydrated, and start enjoying your improved health because of it.

Keep in mind you need really 5 things to stay at your best health and pain free: Eat right (that included drinking alot of good water), exercise, rest, decrease stress, and keep your spine in good alignment.


Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief. Bookmark this on Delicious Stumble It!