Most of us don’t think too much about how we hold our heads throughout the day. But if you spend a lot of time on your phone, sitting at a computer, or slouching on the couch, chances are you’ve developed something called forward head posture—where your head sticks out in front of your shoulders.
Sounds harmless, right? Actually, it’s not. A new study has shown that this type of posture can affect tiny muscles in your neck that help control your balance, and may even be linked to a certain kind of dizziness.
Let’s break down what this study found—and how fixing your posture might make a big difference not only in how you feel, but in how well your body works.
Jump to:
TLDR – Quick Guide
- The Problem: Forward head posture (FHP) puts excessive strain on neck muscles responsible for head movement and balance.
- The Effect: It can lead to a condition called cervicogenic dizziness, caused by dysfunction in the suboccipital muscles—not your inner ear.
- The Science: A new study shows those with FHP and dizziness had smaller, weaker, and more tense suboccipital muscles.
- The Fix: Structural correction methods like Advanced BioStructural Correction™ (ABC™) help realign the spine, restore muscle function, and improve balance.
- Why It Matters: Posture isn’t just about appearance—it’s about how your nervous system, balance, and brain function work together.
What Is Forward Head Posture?
Imagine holding a bowling ball straight above your shoulder. Not too hard, right? Now imagine moving that ball forward and holding it out in front of you. Much harder.
That’s what happens with your head. Your head weighs around 10–12 pounds—about the same as a bowling ball. When it sits directly on top of your spine, everything is balanced. But when it moves forward (even just an inch or two), your muscles have to work much harder to hold it up.
Over time, this poor posture strains your muscles, tightens the joints in your neck, and starts a chain reaction that can affect your whole body—including your balance and even your brain.
What the Study Looked At
The researchers behind this study wanted to understand the link between:
- Forward head posture (FHP)
- Dizziness that comes from the neck (called cervicogenic dizziness)
- A small group of muscles under your skull, known as the suboccipital muscles
These suboccipital muscles are tiny, but they do a big job. They help you move your head, sense where it is in space (your proprioception), and even have connections to the balance systems in your brain.
The study used special imaging tools to compare the size and function of these muscles in people with forward head posture and dizziness to those with healthy posture and no dizziness.
What They Found
Here’s where things get interesting.
People with forward head posture and dizziness had:
- Weaker and smaller suboccipital muscles
- More tension in those muscles
- Reduced ability to sense head position and movement
This means their muscles weren’t just tight—they were dysfunctional. They weren’t doing their job properly, and that was likely contributing to their dizziness.
Why? Because the brain depends on information from the neck to understand where your head is. If those signals are wrong—or missing—your brain can get confused, which can make you feel off balance or even dizzy.This is what’s known as cervicogenic dizziness—a type of dizziness that comes not from the inner ear, but from the neck itself.
How This Happens: The Chain Reaction
Let’s break it down step by step:
- You spend hours looking down at your phone or slouching.
- Your head moves forward from its natural position.
- The suboccipital muscles overwork to hold it up.
- Over time, they become tight, weak, and less able to sense movement.
- Your brain starts receiving faulty signals about head position.
- You begin to feel dizzy, off balance, or even anxious.
It doesn’t happen overnight—but if you ignore your posture, this is where it can lead.
What Can You Do About It?
Here’s the good news: this kind of dizziness is often reversible. But it doesn’t go away by itself. You need to fix the root cause—your posture and structural alignment.
That’s where structural correction comes in.
One method that addresses this is called Advanced BioStructural Correction™ (ABC™). ABC™ doesn’t just stretch tight muscles or crack joints. It works by gently correcting spinal misalignments that your body can’t fix on its own. These misalignments often cause the forward head posture in the first place.
By fixing the structure, ABC™ allows your body to:
- Stand upright more naturally
- Take pressure off the suboccipital muscles
- Restore normal signals between your neck and brain
- Improve balance and reduce dizziness
ABC™ isn’t a temporary fix—it helps your body return to its natural, effortless posture, which is what these suboccipital muscles need to function properly.
Real Life Impact
Maybe you’ve never thought of posture as something that affects your brain. But this study shows it does. Poor posture doesn’t just look bad—it disrupts the way your nervous system works. And that can show up as:
- Dizziness
- Poor concentration
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Trouble balancing
If you’ve ever felt a little “foggy” or wobbly after sitting all day at a desk or scrolling on your phone, now you know why.
Key Takeaways: How Neck Posture Impacts Balance and Brain Function
This study shines a light on something most people overlook: how the way you hold your head can directly affect your brain’s performance. Your neck isn’t just structural—it’s neurological.
Here’s what you need to remember:
- Your neck isn’t just a stack of bones and muscles—it’s a high-tech information highway between your body and your brain.
- When it’s out of position, that whole system starts to break down.
- This study proves that tiny muscles in your neck have a big job, and that bad posture makes them weak and confused.
- With the right approach—like ABC™ structural correction—you can give your body the support it needs to restore proper function.
- Slouching isn’t harmless. Poor posture disrupts your balance, clarity, and coordination—even when you’re just looking at your phone.
So next time you catch yourself slouching or craning your neck forward to look at your phone, remember: your balance, your brain, and your body are all connected. Good posture isn’t just about standing tall—it’s about helping your brain work at its best. The full article can be found here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36556992
Frequently Asked Questions: Posture, Dizziness & Structural Correction
Is my dizziness really coming from my neck?
It might be. If you have forward head posture, the muscles and joints in your upper neck can send faulty signals to your brain, leading to dizziness. This condition is known as cervicogenic dizziness and doesn’t involve your inner ear.
How can bad posture affect my brain?
Poor posture—especially FHP—impacts the muscles that relay position and balance information to your brain. If those signals are off, your brain can misinterpret your body’s orientation in space, causing symptoms like dizziness or fogginess. Your brain relies on accurate posture feedback to stay grounded.
What makes ABC™ different from regular chiropractic care?
ABC™ doesn’t just crack joints or release tension—it corrects spinal misalignments your body can’t fix on its own. This addresses the root cause of posture-related issues like FHP. The result is long-term correction, not just temporary relief.
Do I need to feel neck pain to be at risk for cervicogenic dizziness?
Not at all. Many people experience this type of dizziness without any noticeable pain. It often shows up subtly—like balance issues or mental fog—before pain becomes a symptom.
How do I know if I have forward head posture?
If your ears sit in front of your shoulders when you’re sitting or standing, you likely have FHP. Other signs include a rounded upper back, chronic neck tightness, and fatigue from holding your head up all day. A professional structural assessment can confirm it.
