7 Forward Head Posture Exercises To Reduce Neck Pain

1. Warm-up Towel Stretch

Before you start doing exercises to correct forward head posture, you must warm up your neck and shoulder muscles.

How To Do

1. Hold a long towel by both the ends, bend your knees slightly, and keep your arms wide open.
2. Bring the towel above your head and slightly beyond.
3. Breathe out and bring the towel in front of your head. Do 5 reps.
4. Bend your elbows to bring the towel right at the back of your head.
5. Push the chest forward by pushing your elbows back. Count to 3 and release. Do 5 reps.
6. You may also do 10 reps of neck tilts and neck up and down.

2. Chin Tuck

This exercise is great for extending the neck muscles and relaxing the tension at the back of your neck.

How To Do

1. Stand or sit and relax your shoulders.
2. Move your chin forward.
3. Tuck it back in. Look down towards the floor while you do so.
4. Do 20 reps, thrice a day.

3. Shoulder Retraction

Forward head posture also causes rounding and caving in of the shoulders. Shoulder blade retraction exercise helps relax the shoulder muscles and reduces hyperextension of your upper back.

How To Do

1. Stand or sit straight, look ahead, try to relax your shoulders.
2. Pull your shoulders back gently. Hold for 3 counts and release.
3. Do 20 reps, thrice a day.

4. Pectoral Or Pec Stretch

This exercise is for the front of your shoulders, above the breast tissue. It helps reduce stiffness and relaxes the shoulders.

How To Do

1. Stand near a door and place your forearms against the doorway.
2. Put one leg forward to get into a staggered or lunge pose.
3. Lean forward, squeeze your shoulder blades gently, and feel the stretch in your chest. Count to 3 and relax.
4. Do 15 reps, twice a day.

5. Foam Roller Pec Stretch

Foam rolling is an extremely relaxing and muscle tension-releasing technique.

How To Do

1. Sit at one end of a foam roller.
2. Lie down slowly. Keep your knees bent and place your head and neck on the roller.
3. Bring out your arms to the side. Feel the stretch in your chest. Breathe in and out.
4. Do it twice for 1 minute each time.

6. Upper Back Foam Rolling

Your upper back also gets stiff due to the rounding of the shoulders and tension in the neck. Upper back foam rolling helps massage and relax the muscles that help hold the head in the correct position.

How To Do

1. Lie down on a mat. Place your upper back against a foam roller, bend your knees, support your head with your head, and engage your core.
2. Without moving your lower back, slowly lower your head back and come back up to the starting position.
3. Do 2 sets of 8 reps.

7. Scapula Message

Just like relaxing your upper back is important, releasing the tension from the upper chest is also important. All you need is a tennis ball to do this exercise.

How To Do

1. Stand facing a wall. Place one foot before another to get into a staggered pose.
2. Place the tennis ball just above the breast tissue but a little away from the armpit.
3. Move your arm up and down slowly. Breathe in and out as you do so.
4. Do 15 reps before changing sides.