Forward head posture (FHP) is a common Parkinson’s symptom where your head is positioned forward in front of your body’s vertical midline. Neutral head posture is when your ears line up with your shoulders and midline. FHP can cause neck pain, stiffness, an unbalanced gait, and other side effects. It’s also often associated with rounded shoulders and stooped posture.

The weight of your head on your spine increases from about 10 pounds in the neutral position to a whopping 49 pounds when your head is hunched forward at a 45-degree angle. If your head is protruding forward, the muscles in the front of your neck get shorter and tighter, and those at the back of your neck get longer and weaker.

I was asked to go into more detail about the hand warming technique I shared last week. I figure if one person is asking, more people might want to know!

Last week I showed you some great warm-up and cool-down techniques that you can easily do at home with items you probably already have in your pantry—dry rice and popcorn kernels. I learned these methods from my client Nancy, an Occupational Therapist and certified Hand Therapist who also has Parkinson’s.

Have you noticed your hands becoming stiffer and less reactive when you try to move them? You need to exercise your hands like you do the rest of your body. Whether you have Parkinson’s or arthritis, if your hands become stiff, every task takes longer, and it really affects your quality of life.