What Your Neck X-Ray Reveals: Healthy Curve vs. Forward Head Posture and Degeneration
Hi, I’m Dr. Carolyn from Pando Society in Elwood, and today I want to show you what a cervical (neck) spine X-ray can really tell us — and why it matters if you’re dealing with neck pain, headaches, or even brain fog.
If you live in Elwood, St Kilda, Balaclava, Brighton, or Elsternwick, and you’re experiencing these symptoms, there’s a good chance your posture — and especially your cervical spine — may be playing a role.
📸 X-Ray 1: The Optimal Cervical Curve
Let’s start with what we ideally want to see on a lateral cervical spine X-ray.
A healthy neck should have a gentle, C-shaped curve — called a lordosis — that helps:
Absorb shock
Distribute mechanical stress
Protect the spinal cord
Maintain balance and head positioning
Research shows that this natural curvature helps reduce load on the vertebral discs, muscles, and joints, improving long-term spinal health and neurological function [Patwardhan et al., 2018].
This curve also keeps the head balanced over the shoulders, reducing strain on the nervous system and muscular system.
📸 X-Ray 2: Cervical Straightening, Forward Head Posture, and Degeneration
Now let’s look at a more common (but far from ideal) presentation: cervical straightening with forward head posture and disc degeneration, especially through the mid-cervical spine (C4–C6).
Here’s what we see:
Loss of cervical lordosis (straightened or reversed curve)
Forward head carriage (the head positioned well in front of the shoulders)
Disc height loss and degeneration (especially in C4–C6)
Early signs of osteophyte formation (bone spurs)
Increased biomechanical stress on spinal joints and soft tissues
This pattern is often linked to prolonged poor posture, such as sitting at a desk or using digital devices for long hours — sometimes called “tech neck.” But it can also be due to a whiplash injury following a car accident or fall.
What does this mean clinically?
Studies show that forward head posture places up to 4.5–6 times more load on the cervical spine [Kapandji, 2008; Hansraj, 2014]. Over time, this contributes to:
Chronic neck pain
Tension-type headaches or migraines
Mid-back stiffness
Brain fog and poor focus, likely due to altered neurological feedback and postural fatigue [Moustafa et al., 2020]
🧠 What’s Happening in the Brain?
Recent research has found that forward head posture doesn’t just affect the spine — it actually alters how the brain controls posture and balance.
A 2025 study using EEG and EMG measurements found that individuals with forward head posture had to use significantly more brain power to stay upright, particularly during balance tasks [Anwar et al., 2025]. This heightened demand on the nervous system may explain why so many people with poor posture report fatigue, mental fog, and reduced coordination.
🔍 What You Might Be Feeling
If your X-ray looks like the second one, you may notice:
Frequent neck and upper shoulder tension
Headaches at the base of the skull
Feeling mentally foggy, especially at the end of the day
Trouble maintaining good posture without fatigue
Stiffness in the mid-back or between the shoulder blades
These symptoms are common in my patients from Elwood, St Kilda, Balaclava, Brighton, and Elsternwick, especially those working long hours at a desk or studying.
💡 What Can Be Done?
The good news is that postural degeneration isn’t irreversible — especially when addressed early.
At Pando Society, I use a combination of:
Digital postural X-rays to assess alignment and structure
Gentle chiropractic care to restore mobility and reduce inflammation
Posture rehabilitation and home exercises
Sensorimotor and balance training
Ergonomic support and workplace strategies
Together, these approaches can reduce strain on the nervous system, improve postural integrity, and ease symptoms like neck pain, headaches, and brain fog.
📍 Local, Personalised Care in Elwood
If you’ve never had your posture assessed, or if you’re dealing with symptoms that don’t seem to resolve — like recurring tension, migraines, or fatigue — it may be time to look deeper.
X-rays can give us valuable insight into your spinal health, and with the right care, we can often restore function, reduce discomfort, and improve your day-to-day wellbeing.
📅 Book an appointment with me at Pando Society in Elwood — just minutes from St Kilda, Balaclava, Brighton, and Elsternwick.
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
Patwardhan AG et al. Cervical sagittal balance: A biomechanical perspective. Eur Spine J. 2018;27:25–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-017-5367-1
Hansraj KK. Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head. Surg Technol Int. 2014;25:277–279.
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.
