How Forward Head Posture Affects Brain-Body Communication — and What You Can Do About It
Hi, I’m Dr. Carolyn from Pando Society in Elwood, and today I want to talk about something that’s both common and deeply underestimated — forward head posture and its effect on your brain and body.
If you live in Elwood, St Kilda, Balaclava, Brighton, or Elsternwick and experience things like neck pain, headaches, or even brain fog, this post is for you.
Forward Head Posture: More Than Just “Tech Neck”
We all know the feeling — hours on your phone or laptop, and suddenly your neck feels stiff, your head is sitting forward, and you’re struggling to concentrate. That’s forward head posture (FHP) — when the head juts in front of the shoulders.
What you may not know is that FHP doesn’t just affect your muscles and joints. A recent 2025 study published in Scientific Reports found that it also puts extra strain on your brain — particularly the parts responsible for balance, coordination, and motor/muscle control.
The Study: Brain-Motor Overload from Poor Posture
Researchers tested 64 healthy young adults with and without FHP. They had participants complete four progressively harder balance tasks (standing with eyes open or closed, on stable and unstable surfaces) while measuring brain activity (EEG) and muscle activity (EMG).
The results?
✅ Those with forward head posture showed significantly more brain activity, especially in high-frequency brain waves (beta and gamma), during difficult balance tasks.
✅ In other words, people with FHP need more brain power just to stay upright — even when their actual balance looked the same.
✅ This neurological overload is a compensatory response to poor posture — not an improvement in function.
Why Does This Matter?
If your brain is constantly “working harder” just to keep your body stable, it can lead to:
Chronic neck pain
Tension headaches or migraines
Mental fatigue and brain fog
Decreased physical performance
Greater risk of falls or injury
At my practice in Elwood, I often see patients from St Kilda, Balaclava, Brighton, and Elsternwick who feel foggy, off balance, or constantly tight in the upper back — and forward head posture is often a hidden factor.
What Can Be Done?
The good news is: postural correction and neuro-musculoskeletal care can help.
Research shows that improving cervical alignment can reduce the neurological workload on your brain and restore more efficient movement patterns. At Pando Society, I use a combination of:
Gentle, corrective chiropractic care
Posture retraining exercises
Balance and sensorimotor integration
Ergonomic coaching (especially for desk workers)
This not only helps resolve neck pain and headaches, but also reduces brain fog and improves overall wellbeing by making movement more automatic and less energy-draining.
Local Care for Neck pain and headaches
If you're in Elwood, St Kilda, Balaclava, Brighton, or Elsternwick and struggling with poor posture, neck tension, or unexplained fatigue, it's worth exploring how your nervous system is compensating behind the scenes.
Forward head posture isn’t just about slouching — it affects your brain's ability to coordinate and regulate your body efficiently.
This study gives us new insight into how postural misalignment can overload the brain, even in young and healthy people. Left unaddressed, this strain may contribute to chronic pain, poor focus, and long-term dysfunction.
If you're noticing changes in your posture, balance, or mental clarity — don't ignore it. Early correction can make a huge difference in how your brain and body function together.
📍 Book an appointment at Pando Society in Elwood and let’s work together to restore your posture, ease your nervous system, and bring clarity back to your movement and mind.
🧠💪 Your spine supports your brain — let’s give both what they need.
References
Anwar G, Moustafa IM, Khowailed I, et al. Comparison of corticomuscular coherence under different balance paradigms in individuals with and without forward head posture. Scientific Reports. 2025;15:22985. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-06603-8
Jung JY, Lee YB, Kang CK. Effect of forward head posture on resting state brain function. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12(12):1162.
Moustafa IM, Youssef A, Ahbouch A, et al. Is forward head posture relevant to autonomic nervous system function and cervical sensorimotor control? Gait Posture. 2020;77:29–35.
