Neck exercises may improve position sense in people with forward head posture
A review found encouraging changes in neck position tests, but differences between studies prevented firm conclusions about which exercise approaches work best.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Exercises that stabilize the neck may improve the ability to sense its position in people with forward head posture. The review found encouraging results on some neck movement tests, but results varied widely. It could not establish whether these exercises work more consistently or effectively than the other approaches studied.
Studies used different posture definitions and outcome measures. Risk-of-bias assessments generally raised some concerns, including lack of blinding, which limits confidence in the overall pattern.
What was measured
Researchers examined cervical proprioception: awareness of the neck's position. Tests assessed position sense and errors in reproducing a position. These outcomes address a specific sensory function; the abstract does not report improvements in pain or everyday activities.
Why comparisons remain uncertain
Neck stabilization was the most frequently studied approach. Other approaches included vibration, backward walking and muscle energy techniques, but too few sufficiently comparable studies were available to judge their relative effectiveness. Longer-term effects remain unresolved.
The original publication
Exercise therapy to improve cervical proprioception in individuals with asymptomatic forward head posture: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Norasteh AA, Karimi K, Faraji S et al.
PLoS One · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40966220
- Record checked
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