Radiographic measurements of intervertebral foramina of cervical vertebra in forward and normal head posture

Forward head posture has long since been associated with a number of clinical problems treated by the fields of physical therapy and dentistry. The consistent and longstanding difficulty in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions has been a lack of a clear understanding of the anatomical and biomechanical conditions that underly forward head posture. It has been reported that there is a narrowing of the cervical interspaces in forward head posture with the greatest change being between C4-5 and C5-6. These observations were made by viewing lateral radiographic films, yet the size of the foramina can only be viewed using oblique views. This study used oblique radiographic views of the intervertebral foramina to determine if there is a difference in the size of the intervertebral foramina in the forward head posture versus the normal head posture. The intervertebral foramina of the cervical vertebra were found to be larger in the forward head posture from levels C3 to T1. These results conflict with previous observations, suggesting that additional research is needed to assist in determining the underlying mechanisms responsible for the pain associated with forward head posture.