Is your headrest set at the right height for you?

Check Your Headrest! Check It Right Now!

Last week, I got a great question from a patient (By the way feel free to send me any questions that you might have). She asked me what height she should set her car's headrest too. I thought that is was a great question, and there is a pretty good chance that others might be wondering the same thing. So here is my answer to her and anyone else who might be wondering! Unfortunately... There is no specific universal answer. The ideal headrest position will depend on the person and the vehicle. Over the past several years, headrests have been raised and moved forward, when compared to vehicles made more than ten years ago. You may be wondering why this change has occurred. The easy answer is that the changes have limited the likelihood and severity of whiplash symptoms when the vehicle is involved in a rear impact collision. However, many people find the new headrest positions to be uncomfortable. This leaves the driver feeling as though their head is being forced into what chiropractors often refer to as Anterior Head Carriage. This progressive forward translation of the headrest is most likely due to the continued gradual change in the average American's posture from countless hours staring at a computer screen.

Here are 3 Simple Rules that you can follow to set your headrest at the right height

1) The center of the headrest should be slightly above the top of the ear.
2) The top of the headrest should be at least as high as the top of your head.
3) The distance from the headrest to the back of your head should be 2-5 inches.

Here is a quick picture to try to explain it better!