Many of you who have already been to our clinic have used this pillow already, and those of you who haven’t might be thinking, “What the heck is that and what is it used for?” The device I am referring to is a cervical fulcrum.
Unfortunately, the majority of our daily lives require long commutes, seated deskwork, traveling, and use of smartphones/tablets/computers leaving us in a less than ideal postural position. This can lead to a reverse of the normal cervical lordosis curve and result in neck pain, headaches, and stiffness/soreness during or after any of the aforementioned activities.
This is where the cervical fulcrum comes in to play. Besides exercises targeting increased strength of the cervical and scapular retractors, and increasing pectorals and anterior shoulder flexibility/mobility, individuals with forward head posture will greatly benefit from using the cervical fulcrum to restore lordosis at the cervical spine.
The device is typically used from 5-20 minutes on a daily basis depending on your individual symptoms and your tolerance to its use. It has been shown to decrease hypertonicity and spasms of the neck, reduce headaches, increase vascular and lymphatic flow to the head and neck, and relieve the effects of normal compression that occurs throughout the day as a result of gravity.
For proper use, place the flat side of the fulcrum at the base of your neck so that it is touching the top of your shoulders, and the slanted portion of the fulcrum is facing up to the ceiling and slanting away from your body. Keep your knees bent and feet flat to alleviate pressure on your lumbar spine, and place your arms at your sides with palms up and shoulders relaxed to help improve your overall posture.
Discontinue use of the fulcrum if your current symptoms increase from baseline status, or you experience any new symptoms. If you are having difficulties using this product, please consult one of our practitioners for help.