Where Should Your Head Be?
An email from a reader asked a question that I get asked a lot! So I figured, in an effort to save some time, I would write up a quick response. Once the reply is written, I can direct everyone to that blog post to answer the question (and maybe some people who don't read the newsletters will be able to find the answer to their question too.)
So you are probably wondering what the question was... The reader asked me what the ideal height for their cars headrest would be. 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. The average American's head has begun to move farther out in front of their body from countless hours staring at a computer screen. In an effort to protect the drivers as much as possible, auto manufacturers have made some changes to their headrests. And the result is what we see on today's modern automobiles!
Three Simple Rules To Set Your Headrest In The Ideal Position
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 between the headrest and the back of the head should be between 2-5 inches.
The next time you get into your vehicle think about these three things to see if your headrest is in the right position.
