This blog post is dedicated to bring you the best exercises, stretches and strategies to fix a Forward Head Posture.
What is Forward Head Posture?
Forward Head Posture is where the position of the head is in front of the mid line of the torso.
Ideally – the ear canal should be aligned with the mid line of the torso.
(It is also referred to as: Nerd Neck, Poked Head, Forward Neck Posture and Text Neck.)
The forward head position involves a combination of lower neck flexion and upper neck extension.
This results in the flattening or loss of the natural curve in the Cervical spine.
This Blog Post Covers
- Symptoms
- Causes
- Muscles Involved
- Tests
- Is It An Issue?
- Forward Head Posture Exercises
- Common Questions
Symptoms
The following is a list of the potential symptoms associated with this postural presentation:
- Neck Pain at base of the Skull
- Cervicogenic Headaches
- Dizziness
- Upper Trapezius Pain
- Scalene Issues
- Cervical Radiculopathy
- Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
- Ineffective breathing technique
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues
- Impaired balance
- Pain in Levator Scapulae
Causes
In my opinion – The development of a Forward Head Posture is strongly related to your postural habits.
Think about how you sit when you you use computer, mobile phone, driving your car etc.:
Are you sitting up tall?…. Or are you letting your head poke forward?
The body will get used to the position that it habitually adopts throughout the day.
Over time – certain muscles will tend to get weak and others get tight.
This muscular imbalance can eventuate into a Forward Head Posture. (See below)
Muscles Involved
There is an imbalance involving all of the following muscles:
(Note: If you are not sure where the following muscles are located, feel free to look them up on Google.)
Overactive and/or Tight Muscles:
- Anterior Scalene
- Sternocleidomastoid
- Anterior neck muscles (Lower Cervical Spine)
- Sub-Occipital muscles
- Splenius Capitis/Cervicis
- Semispinalis
- Longissimus
- Anterior Upper Trapezius
Weak and/or Elongated Muscles:
Deep Neck Flexors:
- Longus Capitis
- Longus Colli
Lower Cervical Extensors:
- Multifidus
- Levator Scapulae
- Erector Spinae
All of the muscles mentioned above will be addressed in the Exercise Section of this blog post.
Tests
Here are 3 different tests to determine if your head is poking forwards.
Forward Head Posture Test
Instructions:
- Place your back completely flat against the wall.
- Make sure that your pelvis and shoulder blades are in contact with the wall.
- Do not over arch your lower back.
- Do not tilt your head backwards.
- Whilst standing in this position, does the back of your head naturally come in contact with the wall?
Results: If the back of your head does not naturally come into contact with the wall, then you likely have a Forward Head Posture.
Side Profile
Instructions:
- Take a side profile photo of yourself.
- Draw a line down the mid line of your torso.
- Draw a line down from your ear canal.
- (Both lines should be vertical.)
Results: If the line from the ear canal is in front of the mid line of the torso, then you likely have a Forward Head Posture.
X-Ray Scan
Ask your doctor for a X-Ray scan showing the lateral view of the Cervical spine.
The doctor will be able to determine if you have a Forward Head Posture by calculating the Craniovertebral Angle.
This is the angle formed by the lines from the Tragus (part of the ear), C7 Spinous Process and a horizontal line that passes through the C7 vertebra.
Results: If the Craniovertebral Angle is less than 50 degrees, then you have a Forward Head Posture.
Is It An Issue?
The presence of having a Forward Head Posture does not guaranty that you’ll have issues associated with it.
However, in my opinion – it is not ideal for your head to be locked into a forward head position as it can influence the muscles of the neck.
So – Although this blog post covers exactly how to address this type of posture, not everyone with a Forward Head Posture will necessarily need to address it.
Forward Head Posture Exercises
Over time – Assess how your body responds and adjust frequency and intensity accordingly.
STEP 1: Releases
STEP 2: Stretches
STEP 3: Joint Mobilization
STEP 4: Chin Nod
STEP 5: Chin Tuck
STEP 6: Combined Chin Nod/Tuck
STEP 7: Elongate Neck
STEP 8: Breathing Exercise
STEP 9: Extra Tips
STEP 10: Address Other Areas
1. Neck releases
The tight muscles that are holding your head in the forward position will need to be released first.
Sub-Occipital/Posterior Neck
Instructions:
- Place a massage ball under the back of your neck.
- Do not place it directly under the spine.
- You are aiming for the muscles on either side of the spine.
- Apply an appropriate amount of pressure onto the massage ball.
- Gently rotate your head from side to side to cover the entire region of the neck.
- Make sure to cover the muscle from the base of the skull to the base of the neck.
- Continue for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Alternatively: If you do not have a massage ball, you can use your fingers to apply pressure to the same areas.
(Note: If you start to feel dizziness or experience more pain, reduce the amount of pressure being applied. If these symptoms persist, seek guidance from a healthcare professional.)
Sternocleidomastoid
Instructions:
- Locate the Sternocleidomastoid muscle.
- (Use Google if you are not sure where it is.)
- You should be able to feel a prominent band of muscle on each side of the neck.
- Gently massage these muscles using a pinch grip.
- Do not to press too deep or hard as you may hit other sensitive structures of the neck.
- Make sure to cover the entire length of the muscle.
- Duration: 1 minute per side.
Anterior Scalene
Instructions:
- Place the flat part of your fist at the bottom of the side of your neck.
- Make sure that you are not pressing onto the structures at the front of the neck.
- Apply a gentle sliding pressure up towards behind the ear region.
- Repeat 5 upwards strokes on either side of the neck.
Upper Trapezius
Instructions:
- Stand in front of the corner of a wall.
- Bend forwards towards the wall.
- Place a massage ball in the region between the neck and shoulder.
- Lean your shoulder against the wall.
- Apply an appropriate amount of weight into the massage ball.
- Make sure to cover the entire region.
- Duration: 1-2 minutes
2. Neck stretches
Stretching out the tight muscles will give the opportunity for the head to adopt the correct posture.
Upper Cervical Spine
(Muscle Targeted: Sub-Occipital Muscles)
Instructions:
- Place your hand at the front of your chin and the other at the back/top of your head.
- Apply a force to the front of your chin as to gently glide the chin backwards.
- Whilst maintaining this pressure, proceed to pull your head forward/down.
- Aim to feel a stretch at the back of your UPPER neck region.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times.
Middle Cervical Spine
(Muscle Targeted: Neck Extensors)
Instructions:
- Gently tuck your chin in.
- Look down.
- Place both hands behind your head and pull your head downwards.
- Aim to feel the stretch at the back of your MIDDLE neck region.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times.
Front of Lower Cervical Spine
Instructions:
- Gently tuck your chin in.
- Slowly look upwards.
- Do not arch your lower back.
- Aim to feel a stretch at the FRONT of the neck.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times.
Sternocleidomastoid
Instructions:
- Gently tuck your chin in.
- Rotate your head towards the side that you want to stretch.
- Tilt your head to the side away from the side you want to stretch.
- Use your hand to pull your head further into the tilt.
- Aim to feel a stretch on the SIDE of your neck.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times.
- Do both sides.
For more stretches: Sternocleidomastoid Stretches
Anterior Scalene
Instructions:
- Look up and rotate your head away from the side of the neck that you are stretching.
- Place your hand on the collar bone on the opposite side to which you have rotated to.
- Pull the skin on the collar bone downwards.
- Tilt your head to the side away from the side that you are stretching.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times.
- Do both sides.
3. Improve Joint mobility
If the joints in the Cervical spine are very stiff, this may limit the required neck movements to perform the exercises mentioned on this blog post effectively.
Try out the following exercises to loosen up the joints.
Side Decompression
Instructions:
- Look slightly downwards.
- Tilt your head to the side away from the side that you are trying to stretch.
- Place your hand on the side of your head and apply a downward pressure.
- Aim to feel a stretch on the side of your neck.
- Avoid any pinching sensation on the side you are pulling your head towards.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 3 times.
- Do both sides.
Neck Traction
(This is a great way to decompress your neck.)
Instructions:
- Tie a resistance band to a stationary object. (Height: ~3-4 feet)
- Lie on the floor with your knees bent.
- Wrap the band under the base of the skull.
- Whilst still holding the band with your hands, slowly shuffle your body away from the anchor point.
- Let go and let the band pull your head.
- Move as far away until you can feel a stretch at the back of your neck.
- Completely relax.
- Hold for 1 minute.
Note: Place a small towel between your head and the band to prevent your hair from being pulled.
Chin Tuck With Over Pressure
Instructions:
- Lie on the floor with your knees bent.
- Use a thin pillow if required.
- Tuck your chin in.
- Place your hands on your chin apply a gentle downward pressure.
- Aim to flatten the back of your neck on the floor.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
Neck Mobility
Instructions:
- Gently tuck your chin in.
- Whilst maintaining this chin tucked position, proceed to look up/down.
- Ensure that you do not poke your chin out excessively during the movement.
- As you look upwards, you should feel a “bruisy” (… but not painful!) sensation at the base of your neck.
- Remember – Only move your neck as far as you are comfortable.
- Repeat 30 times.
4. Chin nod
The following exercises will target the Deep Neck Flexors which are a group of muscles located at the front of neck spine.
(It includes the following muscles: Longus Colli and Longus Capitis)
This special group of muscles is responsible for maintaining the correct posture of the head and neck.
Chin Nod (Head Supported)
Instructions:
- Lie down on the floor with your head supported on a thin pillow.
- Gently perform a chin nod.
- (as if nodding your head to say ‘yes’).
- Aim to feel a gentle contraction in the muscles at the back of your throat.
- Relax the muscles at the front of the throat as much as possible.
- If your whole neck stiffens up, try flattening your tongue to the roof of your mouth to help reduce the tension in the neck.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 30 times.
Note: If you are having difficulty engaging the appropriate muscles, use a thicker pillow to bring your neck into a more forward flexed position.
Chin Nod Holds (Sitting)
Instructions:
- Sit up right.
- Slightly nod your chin downwards.
- Place a closed fist underneath your chin.
- Gently push your chin down onto your fist
- Hold for 30 seconds.
- Aim to feel a gentle contraction at the back of your throat.
- Repeat 2-3 times.
5. Chin Tuck
The following exercises will help position your head into the correct alignment.
For more information: Chin Tuck Exercises
Chin Tuck
Instructions:
- Sit upright
- Nod your chin slightly downwards.
- Gently tuck your chin in.
- “Make a double chin.”
- Aim to feel a gentle lengthening sensation at the back of your neck.
- Make sure to keep your eyes and jaw level and move the head horizontally backwards.
- Think of the movement like a book sliding back into the shelf.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 30 times.
As this exercise becomes easier, challenge yourself with the following exercise progressions…
Chin Tuck (Against Gravity)
Instructions:
- Lie down on your stomach with head off the edge of a bed.
- Gently tuck your chin in.
- (Since you are moving your head against gravity, there is a greater challenge on your muscles.)
- Aim to hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
NOTE: If you find it very difficult to hold your head in this position, this may suggest that muscles at the back of your neck (aka “Neck Extensors”) are weak.
For exercises to strengthen the back of the neck:
See Post: Neck Extensor Exercises
Chin Tuck (With Resistance Band)
Instructions:
- Apply a resistance band around the back of your neck.
- Pull the band forwards as to increase the tension on the band.
- Proceed to do a chin tuck against the resistance band.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 20 times.
6. Chin Nod And Tuck
The next step is to combine the Chin Tuck and Chin Nod together with the following exercise.
Chin Tuck/Nod With Head Lift
Instructions:
- Lie down on your back with your knees bent.
- (Support your head on a pillow if required.)
- Gently flatten your tongue to the roof of your mouth throughout the exercise.
- This will help engage the appropriate muscles in the neck.
- Tuck your chin in.
- Nod your chin downwards.
- Whilst keeping your chin in the nodded position, lift your head SLIGHTLY off the floor.
- Imagine you are gently squashing an apple between your lower jaw and throat throughout movement.
- Aim to feel the contraction of the muscles at the front of your neck.
- Make sure that you DO NOT let your chin jut forward as you lift your head.
- Hold for 5-10 seconds.
- Repeat 5-10 times.
Note: If you find this exercise too difficult, place your hands behind your head to support the weight of your head with your finger tips.
7. Elongate your neck
As you go throughout your day, it is important to practice maintaining your head in a more optimal position.
The aim is to:
- Elongate your neck
- Reduce compression in the Cervical Spine
- Eliminate over-activity of neck muscles
To achieve this, think about holding your head this way:
Instructions:
- “With your chin held in an ever-so-slightly tucked in position, imagine your head as a balloon that is floating away from your shoulders.”
- Aim to keep your neck muscles as relaxed as possible.
- Do not poke your chin forwards.
As you improve with the exercises, holding your head in a more neutral position will naturally become easier.
8. Forward Head Posture and breathing
The muscles which are predominantly responsible for pulling the head into the forward position are the Sternocleidomastoid and Anterior Scalene.
These muscles are also accessory muscles for breathing.
During relaxed breathing, it is ideal to have your diaphragm (a muscle located at the base of your rib cage) as your main breathing muscle.
However, with breathing inefficiencies, these accessory muscles will tend to be over active… which then may lead to the head poking forwards.
Try out this exercise to help engage your Diaphragm muscle.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Instructions:
- Lie down on your back with the knees bent and feet supported on the floor.
- Use a pillow for your neck if required.
- Keep your neck completely relaxed throughout entire exercise:
- Gently flatten your tongue up to the roof of your mouth.
- Keep your mouth closed throughout this exercise.
- Breathe In: Expand your WHOLE rib cage without flaring out the bottom of the ribs at the front.
- (“Think of the rib cage expanding in ALL directions like a balloon does as it gets bigger.”)
- Breathe Out: Slowly push out ALL of the air out of your lungs
- Your lower ribs should depress and lower back flatten against the floor.
- Repeat 5 times.
9. Extra tips
Here are 7 simple tips that you can implement to improve the position of your head.
1. Sitting Posture
Learn how to sit with the ideal sitting posture.
If you are able to position the rest of your body, this can help with maintaining a more ideal position of the head.
For More Information: How To Sit With Proper Posture
2. Using A Phone
Optimize your head position by bringing your mobile closer up to your eye level.
(Of course – I don’t expect you to use the phone in this position absolutely 100% of the time.)
3. Change Position Often
Avoid staying in the same posture for too long.
Move in and out of different positions as much as you can.
Sustaining one position over a long period of time may lock your posture into an undesirable position!
4. Optimize Workstation Set Up
It is next to impossible to sit with good posture if your work station is not properly set up.
It is imperative to set up the following in the correct position relative to your body:
- Position of the computer screen
- Height of the table
- Height of the chair
- Position of mouse and keyboard
Feel free to get this free eBook: How To Set Up Your Work Station
5. Avoid Wearing A Heavy Backpack
Wearing a heavy backpack will tend to pull your upper torso forwards.
This may lead to the head poking forwards as well.
6. Minimize Mouth Breathing
Breathing with an open mouth tends to encourage the over-activity of the muscles that are responsible for Forward Head Posture.
Keep that mouth closed!
If you have blocked sinuses that make it difficult to breathe through the nose, I would encourage you to get a review with an Ear/Nose/Throat (ENT) specialist.
7. Set Up Your Car Seat
Many head rests in the car tend to significantly push the head forwards.
(… which I presume is a safety feature of the car?)
It will be challenging… but try your best to adjust your seat to promote a better posture.
For other ways to address your posture whilst driving:
See Post: Proper Driving Posture
10. Address other areas of posture
If you have persisted with the above exercises for at least 3-6 months and have seen minimal improvement in your head position, you may need to consider addressing any of the following postural issues that are relevant to you:
Dowager’s Hump
The Dowager’s hump is an enlarged prominence that is formed at the lower region of the neck.
This can push the head into that forwards position.
If you have this bump at the base of the neck, it is likely a major factor that is contributing to your Forward Head Posture.
(… and is possibly limiting the effectiveness of the suggested exercises on this blog post.)
For a detailed guide on how to address this issue:
See Post: Dowager’s Hump Exercises
Hunchback Posture
If the Thoracic Spine (upper back) is hunched forwards, it can cause the head to poke forwards as well.
For a detailed guide on how to address this issue:
See Post: Hunchback Posture
Rounded Shoulders
Having Rounded Shoulders is when the resting shoulder position is in front of the mid line of the torso.
Rounded shoulders tends to be associated with a Forward Head Posture.
For a detailed guide on how to address this issue:
See Post: Fix Rounded Shoulders
11. Common Questions
Feel free to leave me a question in the comment section if you need any further clarification with anything mentioned on this blog post.
Is Forward Head Posture Correctible?
Yes – it definitely is!
(… as long as the joints in your Cervical Spine have not fused into position.)
How Long Does It Take To Fix?
You should see some improvements in your head position after 6-12 weeks of performing the recommended exercises on a consistent basis.
In some of you – you may even see immediate improvements in your posture!
Is My Sleeping Position Causing It?
When sleeping on your back – do not use an overly thick pillow as this will push your head forwards.
At the same time – you do not want the pillow to be too thin either as this will provide no support for your neck. (… and may even cause more issues!)
Conclusion
When fixing Forward Head Posture, I suspect a few of you may get a little bit discouraged in the beginning.
(.. and I completely get it!)
Your posture might not change as quickly as you’d like it to.
My intention with this blog post was to provide you with everything that you will ever need to know to completely address this issue.
Be consistent. Stay motivated. And perform the exercises!
What to do next
- Any questions?… (Leave me a comment down below.)
- Join me:
| 
- Start doing the exercises!
Disclaimer: The content presented on this blog post is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Use of the content provided on this blog post is at your sole risk. Seek guidance from a healthcare professional before starting any exercise and/or implementing any recommendation. For more information: Medical Disclaimer.
Dear Mark,
Thank you so much for your valuable information. I have sway back, rounded shoulders and forward neck. Which one should be addressed first? Or should I do all the exercises together?
Hi Zara,
In the initial stages, do all of them if you can. From here, focus on the main exercises that give you the most results.
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thank you for everything you’ve put together in this blog, you’re a visionary for understanding it this deeply.
I was wondering if you could please help with a query?
To give context: I’ve had issues with the entirety of the right side of my body for 5 years following a back exercise with poor form, the exercise was kinda similar to this:
Few differences: I pulled on a towel instead of just holding a bar – so my traps etc were on & my scapulae were retracted, I had fully hyperextended my spine forward & pushed my head forward all the way & felt my spine/ribs grind before side bending only to the right aggressively with more range of motion than in the vid.
Ever since, I’ve had a ton of issues affecting my right scapula (subtle dyskinesia but with lots of Crepitus & pain surrounding it), right side of my torso on general feels tight affecting breathing & it feels rotated clockwise I often get sharp headaches near my eyes during a flare up of back pain too
Even my right hip was stuck externally rotated affecting my leg which I’ve tried to address with the hip airplane exercise.
On my right side, I have tight: Lats, TVA, sternocleidomastoid muscle, deep back extensor muscles, rhomboids, Pec Minor, Upper Trap & Lev Scap especially & weak: Deep neck flexors, lower traps, RCs/Delts & Serratus Anterior & weak abs
A simple way to kinda understand it is if you imagine you’re sat on a chair & then you twist to look over your right shoulder and then bend lateral torso down like you want to look at what’s on the ground – that feeling of your torso being twisted & leaning down is how I feel at rest when facing forward
I discovered I have mild scoliosis too after taking MRIs for my spine (no issues with the spine itself) & doing the exercise, I had stupidly bent further into the concave side – I’ve seen the scoliosis & rib rotation guide too, many thanks for addressing that too. Not sure if I should do that first or address my neck first
Over the past several months, I’ve tried to address muscle asymmetries between my right & normal left side. I’ve been mainly focusing on the hips, abs & upper back muscles like the lower traps, status anterior & RCs ie
Regarding my query, for several weeks now, I have tried to address the right side of my neck which always wants to jut forward, by doing chin tucks, however I just get pinching headaches on the back of my head after doing so & little to no progress. I can even get a pain sensation under my right scapula when pushing the right side of my chin in too. My STM & sub-occiptal is always tight despite releasing & stretching – not sure why. I only do several controlled reps but it feels like it’s jammed
I’m confused about the cervical extensors & neck flexors – aren’t they antagonistic? So how can doing chin tucks work both? Regarding lower cervical spine strengthening, I feel like that will make the extensors work which would make the already weak deep neck flexor more inactive again?
Sorry for the essay, I’m just desperate after several years of pain & trying so many exercises to no avail.
Many Thanks
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the comment.
Firstly – to answer your query:
The cervical extensors and deep neck flexors work together in balance to maintain the position of your head/neck. When performing a chin tuck, this will involve lower cervical extension and upper cervical flexion. This is why chin tucks will strengthen both neck extensors and flexors at the same time. Activation of one side does not automatically make the antagonist turn off or become inhibited.
In terms of your posture, it sounds like your torso is rotated and side bent to the right side. If this started after that exercises, I suspect you may have over activated your right lat, QL, serratus posterior inferior and/or erector spinae. These muscles would hold you in this twisted/side bent position and will need to be released to give the torso the opportunity to resume a better alignment.
You mentioned you have mild scoliosis. Is there a concavity around the T10 region?
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thanks for replying, sorry for the delay, I didn’t realise till just now.
I tried to post a link in the first comment showing the exercise that caused my injury, but it didn’t come up. If you search: “Prone OH side bend with arch” on YouTube by the channel “Opusathletics_crossfit” with only about 300+ views, my 4th paragraph should hopefully make more sense.
I’m not sure where the apex bend is exactly, it’s opposite the sternum area – the right side being concave. I also have a mild Pec Excavatum which is very likely related to the scoliosis. I believe my ribs connected to my thoracic spine can sublux as the region is unstable (& potentially hypermobile) ever since the injury & this can cause a flare-up of pain by tightening the deep back extensors & turning my ribs & hips outward again. I often have to address my right hip veering out by doing the “Hip airplane” exercise to rotate the right hip inward
Even delicately brushing my fingers at the apex just to the right of my thoracic spine or gliding over my right lateral intercostals can feel tender.
What’s quite interesting is that since my injury, I have always felt my ribs/cartilage attached just to the right of the sternum feel a bit “loose” when gliding my fingers up & down just to the right of the sternum.
Doing chin tuck exercises & holding a chin tuck during a Bird Dog or McGill Curl-Up has reduced this & potentially helped correct things by rotating the right half of my ribcage anticlockwise slightly (towards the sternum).
I tried doing an “Upper/Middle Thoracic Spine stretch” in the Scoliosis Guide to open up the rhomboids area, but I didn’t chin tuck & so my torso felt twisted toward the spine still. I now have some issues with the right side of my diaphragm muscle, when I try to inhale fully, I hear a “plop” sound.
I get a flare-up of pain if I: retract my scapula (maybe because it’s not flush on the ribs still), if I twist my torso around or hyperextend my back again. In any movement I have to make sure I chin tuck & try to get my lateral side to turn inward toward the sternum & stretch out the back
My problems are a lot more complex than the average client I’m guessing lol
Thank you,
– Chris
Hi Mark, am I safe to do only the breathing technique for now, without addressing my posture? Will this breathing still be convenient for me even with poor posture? I plan to work on my posture after I build some strength in my deep neck flexors. So, is it okay to do just the breathing exercises for now, so my head doesn’t poke forward? (When I stop doing it, I feel like I’ve been slouching forward.)
Hi Rahul,
Yes – that is completely fine to do. Go at a pace that you are comfortable.
Mark
Mark your website is absolutely amazing and I truly thank you for taking the time out to put this website together. I will be donating and I encourage anyone who reads this to do the same.
I have a more weird case as I have Hyperlordosis of the lower cervical spine C6-C7 area then a straight neck
I’m confused on which exercises I should and shouldn’t not do as I don’t want to increase the lordosis of the lower cervical spine but of course I want to regain the lordosis or the upper cervical
Please let me know your expert opinion on which exercises I should do and shouldn’t do to regain normal lordosis
Hey there Ron,
Thanks for the comment!
You will likely still benefit from the exercises mentioned in this blog post.
If you have a very prominent hyperlordosis around C6/7, I suspect you may also have a Dowager’s Hump. To completely address the forward head posture, you will also need to address this.
(Check out this post for more information: Dowager’s Hump Exercises.)
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Mark
Great thanks
Wow what a great in-guide death to postural restoration and all areas, great research, great guides with pictures. It may seem redundant for some to get this granular but I think you do a great job setting expectations how difficult and long of a journey it is to work on all parts of your body. Still best guide I’ve seen to focus in on problem areas that you can’t even feel without knowing its there in the first place and what it can do for you. I know I had to really focus on my psoas, heel strike and neck muscles and even my eye, temples, mandible areas to really let me diaphragm relax, which obviously goes over the purview of this specific articles material but it is a fully body metamorphosis to relax the muscles you use so much just to get through your day, into a more relaxed state with your muscles where you can naturally inhabit your body. Kudos to you on doing a great job, this guide is really helping me get back into things.
Hello Nathan,
Thanks for your comment.
Hope it serves as a good starting point on your posture journey. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Mark
Hey Mark,
Thanks so much for your work, you have helped me in so many ways!
I just had a quick question about correcting forward head posture. All of the information makes sense to me except one component of it-the chin nods. I know I spend way too much time looking down at my phone, but isn’t a chin nod mimicking the same movement of looking down with the head? Aren’t the muscles responsible for doing that the ones I want to be stretching while strengthening the opposing ones? (i.e shouldnt I be trying to strengthen those responsible for looking up?)
Thanks so much,
Sean
Hi Sean,
You are absolutely correct. The chin nod resembles the head position when you are looking down at the phone. However – this downward head position is coupled with flexion with the lower neck spine.
With the exercises in this blog post, you will want to chin nod with the lower neck spine in a slightly retracted position.
If you tend to over nod the chin once your lower neck is retracted, you will actually need to tilt the chin slightly upwards relative the lower neck spine instead.
Mark
Hi mark
I have forward head posture. Activities involving neck strain, such as writing exams or riding a bike, cause facial pain similar to a sinus headache. My sinus report was clear. The pain is relieved by keeping my neck straight or lying down. Can you explain what’s happening to me?
Hey Rahul,
Your facial pain could possibly due to referred pain from the structures in the neck.
Check out this post: Cervicogenic Headaches Exercises.
Mark
I have forward head posture. Activities involving neck strain, such as writing exams or riding a bike, cause facial pain similar to a sinus headache. My sinus report was clear. The pain is relieved by keeping my neck straight or lying down. Can you explain what’s happening to me?
Hi Mark,
Thank you for your detailed article. I have read around this topic a lot and this is the most in-depth guide for patients I have found so far – and very easy to understand and follow!
My main issue that lead to my healthcare team recognising my forward head posture is chronic severe neck pain and headaches/migraines, which started when I was around 15/16 and has continued for many years since (I’m now in my 20s), despite a whole range of painkillers. In the past, I have tried neck flexion exercises a few different times, and each time, it aggravates the pain and causes a ‘flare-up’ where I then have an exacerbation of symptoms for a month or so afterwards. This really puts me off the exercises, and thus I haven’t managed to fix the issue.
Prior to knowing it was due to posture, I tried osteopaths and chiropractors, but this made no difference and both actually seemed to aggravate the neck pain. For extra context, when I was 12, I saw a physio for lower back pain and was told I had an anterior pelvic tilt and weak core muscles, and I do also have generalised joint hypermobility.
Do you have any recommendations? I really want to get this sorted to relieve my pain and improve my quality of life, but each time I motivate myself to restart a physio exercise regimen, the pain it causes stops me.
Would a neck brace help at all? I haven’t tried them before for fear that it would worsen the muscle weakness, but are there types that would help prompt me into correct posture without taking the weight from my muscles?
Thanks,
Bethany
Hello Bethany,
Thanks for your comment and questions.
1. It sounds like your neck is quite sensitive as it over reactive to performing exercises. You will need to go slow and very gentle when commencing any exercise. It can take some time for the structures in the neck to comfortably tolerate increased loads. Failure to load the neck structures results in progressive weakness over time.
2. Perhaps you can start gentle stretches and/or releases of the neck to begin with. Once there is less tension in the neck, you can progress by performing gentle strengthening exercises. You can start with just the supported chin nods as shown in this blog post (4a)
3. I would encourage you not to use a neck brace as this will indeed lead to more weakness in the neck. If there is a significant amount of pain and you’ve tried everything else, you can use a soft collar for a short period of time (1-2 days maximum). However- this strategy will not address the actual problem that is leading to your said symptoms.
4. How does your upper back look like? Is it curving forwards? If it does, you may benefit from performing some of the exercises mentioned in this blog post: Hunchback Posture Exercises. The forward curve of this upper back tends to place more pressure on the back of the neck.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Good luck!
Mark
Hi Mark,
I am 33 years old and have Forward Head Posture, Dowager’s Hump, and Rounded Shoulders. I feel they are all interrelated. Which issue do you suggest I work on first and is there exercises that fix all 3 issues at once?
I have been struggling with these issues for 4 years now, is there a chance the joints are fused together? What test can you recommend to test for fused joints?
Thank you and I appreciate all of your great advices.
Hi Jason,
It is very common for Forward Head Posture, Dowager’s Hump and Rounded shoulders to exist together.
From a purely posture perspective, I would address the Dowager’s Hump before specifically addressing the Forward head posture.
In regards to fused joints, you can obtain an xray to determine if there are structural reasons to suggest if the joints are fused. In most cases – the joints are just very tight!
Mark
Hi
I am 29 years old and i have serious case of forward head posture i cant even move my head straight over my shoulders like it should be.
will the exercises fix the problem completely or is it too late?
(Maybe my body just grew like this)
I have been doing your exercises for super extended knees and rounded shoulders and they are fantastic i cant thank you enough.
Hey Anthony,
Generally speaking – the longer you have had your forward head posture, the longer is takes to improve.
Keep up with the exercises! At very least – it will help prevent the forward head posture becoming more prominent.
Mark
Hi, I’m a 17 years old boy.
I have this forward head posture and i’d really like to fix it, because it makes me think I look bad and it’s probably like this.
I for sure got this posture cause of me staying in a bad position for a long time, while playing videogames and surfing on the internet.
I wanted to ask if you suggest to do all of these exercises mentioned in the blog once a day, it would not be a problem for me since i’m in summer vacation, and I recently started to do some house training cause i want to improve my body.
I hope you can let me know, thank you.
Hi there Pietro,
If your body can tolerate it, you can definitely perform the exercises every day. (Just make sure you are not too sore from the exercises the day before.)
Keep in mind – some days you can go more gentle with the exercises.
Mark
Forward head posture (FHP) is a prevalent postural fault involving a forward extending of the head compared to the body as a whole.
I am 15 years old boy and I have forward head
posture which looks very bad in tshirts and I get very anxious about it and actually I am bit concerned that all friends have normal posture but I don’t have
And exercise daily 💪 all these exercises but still can u tell me how much days will it take or what more effective exercise are there
Hi Mark,
Thanks for these exercises, they look very thorough.
What do we do if we don’t feel a stretch for exercise 2. a).?
Also if I do chin tuck with over pressure it feels like my throat is collapsing and I can’t breathe. Suggestions?
Thanks, – Andrea
Hi Andrea,
If you can’t feel this stretch, you might need to get the chin to stay in the nodded position more. Pull the back of your head downwards very gently. If you pull too much, you will not feel the stretch either.
In regards to the chin tuck with over pressure, only push as far as you can comfortably tolerate. You do not need push your chin all the way to get some benefit.
Mark
Hi Mark thanks for your reply. I’ve been doing many of these exercises for over 2 weeks now. I have always suffered from chronic tension in my upper shoulders (trapezius? levator scapulae? not sure) and it has gotten significantly worse this past week. Any ideas what is causing the increased pain? Thanks.
Hi Andrea,
Is the pain worse after performing the exercises? If so – you might need to consider going a bit more gentle with them.
Also, check to see if you have a bump at the base of your neck. (See post: Dowager’s Hump). This can make some of the exercise mentioned on this blog post a bit painful to perform.
Mark
Hi Mark,
You have given me hope. Every time I tried doing the traditional deep neck flexor muscle stretch, I was given twenty years ago, it sets off spasms in my groin area.
The neck exercises help my upper back pain but set off the spams and I then can’t sleep with the spasms.
I’m hoping if I follow your protocol this won’t happen.
I have one question, when you say “Perform the following exercises 2-3/week to gain a sense of what each exercise feels like.” Do you mean to do the routine two to three times a week or do you mean try 2-3 exercises out of the routine each week?
Thanks for giving me hope,
Nuala
I intend doing your
Hello Nuala,
I recommend performing all of the exercises mentioned in this blog post 2-3 per week.
As you gain a sense of which exercises are most helpful for you, you can start to focus on them and less on the others.
Remember – go slow and gentle. The body can be quite reactive if you have been experiencing your symptoms for a long time.
All the best!
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thanks so much for getting back to me, I am very appreciative.
All the best,
Nuala
Hey Mark,
It seems that trying to keep my head back closer to my body feels like it’s crushing my throat and I find it a lot more difficult to breath and get air through my neck.
If my head is in a slightly forward position i no longer have that throat tension when i breath.
Can you please explain that to me?
Thanks!
Hey Josh,
Your upper back and/or lower neck region is likely rounding forwards which pushes your head forwards. If you force your chin back without addressing the upper back and/or neck, you’ll get a squashing feel in the throat.
What you can do in addition the exercises mentioned in this blog post is to address the upper back and lower neck.
Check out these blog posts:
– Dowager’s Hump
– Hunchback Posture
All the best!
Mark