Neck and Upper Back Pain

Hi again. I am basking in the glow of the recent sunshine which is all too uncommon here in Grand Rapids. The warm weather has certainly motivated people into more outdoor activities lately. While running around Reed's Lake recently, I could not help but notice the poor posture my fellow runners' often display.
Slouching is something your mother told you not to do. You should listen to your mother, and to your chiropractor. But how do you know if you have good posture if you don't know what good posture is? It's not quite as easy as "standing up straight", although that is certainly a big part of it.
Using a plumb line (a completely straight vertical line) to line up ceratin points on your body will tell you if you have good posture. When viewed from the side, the plumb line is aligned with the front of the ankle. Above that these points should also be "plumb": the mid-knee, the mid-waist, the mid-shoulder, and the mid-ear.
The most common display of abnormal posture occurs with the head coming too far forward. The further your head comes out in front of this line, the heavier it becomes. A 12 lb head at 1 inch forward from the plumb line requires 24 lbs of force to hold up. At 2 inches forward, it becomes 36 lbs. This means the upper back and neck muscles are overstretched and overworked. Most people will reflexively stretch the head forward in an effort to relieve the pain. This is a mistake, as it will only further promote the forward head posture.
How does one correct this? Imagine you have a rope attached to your uppper central chest, approximately where the knot would be if you were wearing a necktie. This rope is pulling you forward and up at all times. This reflexively brings the shoulder blades back and together. This also brings the shoulders back and down, rather than back and up. Military posture is not what we are looking for. We need a more relaxed and sustainable posture to get you through the day. Once the shoulders are in place, the head will naturally sit in proper algnment. Whereas the shoulders are the base of your neck, if the foundation is slanted, so goes the building. I realize some of this is easier to comprehend with pictures, and will try to get some posted here to help. Have a great day.