Beyond "Tech Neck": How to Strengthen (Not Fear) Forward Head Posture

We’ve all done it—craning our necks toward a screen, hunched over a laptop, scrolling through a phone. In a world filled with devices, "tech neck" has become a familiar term. But here’s the good news: while forward head posture is common, it’s not something to fear. Instead of pathologizing posture, let’s shift the conversation toward understanding what’s happening in the body, and how smart, strength-based movement can help us meet the demands of modern life.

What Is "Tech Neck" Anyway?

"Tech neck" is a casual term used to describe a forward head posture that often occurs from prolonged screen time. You might picture it as the head drifting forward from the shoulders, often with a bit of upper back rounding. It’s incredibly common—but it’s not necessarily harmful.

In fact, research doesn’t support a direct causal link between forward head posture and neck pain. Some people with forward head posture report pain, others don’t. Like most things in the body, it’s nuanced. (Lluch et al., 2017; Mahmoud et al., 2019). That said, if you spend hours looking down at a screen, your neck, shoulders, and upper back might feel stiff or fatigued—not because your posture is inherently “bad,” but because the tissues aren’t conditioned to handle that sustained load.

What’s Happening in the Spine?

When the head moves forward from its ideal alignment over the shoulders, the mechanical load on the neck increases significantly. For every inch the head shifts forward, the effective weight the neck has to support can more than double. While your head weighs about 10-12 pounds in neutral alignment, that can increase to 27–60 pounds of effective force with a forward lean (Hansraj, 2014). It’s a lot of work for the deep cervical flexors, upper trapezius, and surrounding structures to manage!

But here’s the thing: your body is incredibly adaptable. Instead of fighting posture or fearing your phone, we can focus on building the strength and mobility needed to support modern movement patterns.

Strengthen, Don’t Stress: A Functional Approach

If you’ve read any of my previous blog posts, you might guess where this is heading… you can’t go wrong getting strong. Rather than obsessing over perfectly upright posture, we can train the body to be more resilient. Just like we wouldn’t panic over tired legs after a long hike, we don’t need to pathologize a sore neck after hours at a desk—we can build capacity.

Here are three key exercises we love to build neck strength, support posture, and improve spinal mobility:

• Chin Tucks into Supine Head Lifts
  Targets: Deep cervical flexors
  Start with gentle chin tucks (sliding the head back as if making a double chin) lying on your back. Progress to small head lifts, maintaining the chin tuck. This is a fantastic way to progressively load the deep neck flexors—an often undertrained muscle group.

• Loaded Prone Scapular Strengthening
  Targets: Mid and lower trapezius, rhomboids, posterior shoulder muscles
  Lie face down and perform scapular retraction exercises like Y-T-W lifts or prone rows. Add dumbbells to increase resistance over time. Strong scapular stabilizers help support head and neck alignment from below.

• Downward Dog + Cat/Cow for Thoracic Mobility
  Targets: Thoracic spine extension and flexion
  These yoga-inspired moves help open the mid-back and restore motion through the spine. A mobile thoracic spine can reduce strain on the neck and improve overall movement quality.

Embrace Adaptability Over Perfection

At SPRING., we believe the goal isn’t to move perfectly—it’s to move often, with awareness and curiosity. Tech neck isn’t a personal failure or a diagnosis. It’s a reflection of how we live today—and with consistent strengthening and mobility work, our bodies are more than capable of adapting.

Want to see these exercises in action? Head over to @spring.movement on Instagram and check out our Teaching Tips series, where we break down practical strategies like these to support real-world movement.

And if you're ready to dive deeper into spinal mechanics and posture through a science-backed lens, our Anatomy Foundations course is the perfect place to start. We unpack biomechanics, bust common myths, and help you teach (or move) with confidence.

References

• Hansraj, K. K. (2014). Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head. Surgical Technology International, 25, 277–279.

• Lluch, E., Nijs, J., Courtney, C. A., & Wideman, T. H. (2017). Clinical reasoning for targeted neck exercises in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain: A narrative review. Physical Therapy, 97(10), 798–807.

• Mahmoud, N. F., Hassan, K. A., Abdelmajeed, S. F., Moustafa, I. M., & Silva, A. G. (2019). The relationship between forward head posture and neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 12(4), 562–577.