Chin tuck exercise for forward head posture
A chin tuck is a small, slow movement that glides your head back over your shoulders. It is one of the most common gentle exercises for a head that drifts forward during desk and phone time.
Forward head posture means your head sits in front of your shoulders instead of over them, which often happens when you lean toward a screen or look down at a phone for a long time. A chin tuck practices the opposite movement: a small glide straight back. It is not a treatment for neck pain on its own. If pain lasts, a doctor or physiotherapist can check what fits you.
How to do it
- Sit or stand tall and look straight ahead.
- Glide your chin straight back, as if making a double chin. Keep your eyes level.
- Hold for 3 seconds, then relax.
Dose: 8 repetitions, hold each for 3 seconds.
Tip: Move slowly. You should feel a light stretch at the base of your skull, never pain.
Common mistakes
- Tilting the head down or up instead of gliding it straight back. Keep your eyes level.
- Pushing hard. A chin tuck should feel like a light stretch at the base of the skull, not strain.
- Clenching the jaw or holding your breath. Keep your jaw soft and keep breathing.
- Rushing through reps. Slow and smooth is the point.
Try a set before you start work and another after lunch. Two fingers on the chin can help you feel the straight line.
Easier and harder options
- Easier: make the glide smaller and sit with your back supported. Only move as far as you can keep your eyes level and your jaw relaxed.
- Next step, chin tuck hold: sit tall with your back supported, glide your chin straight back into a gentle double chin and hold for 5 seconds. Relax and repeat 6 times while you keep breathing. Do not tilt your head down.
- Harder, chin tuck with light resistance: place two fingers on your chin and sit tall. Tuck your chin back while pressing very lightly into your fingers, hold for 5 seconds, rest and repeat 6 times. Use about 20 percent effort. This is a gentle hold, not a push.
These versions match the Chin Tuck, Chin Tuck Hold and Chin Tuck with Light Resistance exercises in the Mo app.
When to stop and see a professional
Stop and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist if you notice:
- numbness, tingling or weakness in an arm, hand, leg or foot
- pain that spreads (radiates) down an arm or leg
- pain that started after an accident, fall or other injury
- loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness between your legs (seek emergency care)
- pain that keeps getting worse, wakes you at night, or comes with fever or unexplained weight loss
Do this with Mo, a 5-minute guided routine app
Mo the sloth guides short daily posture, neck and back exercises, with gentle reminders and a pain check-in. Learn more about Mo.
Related guides
- Tech neck exercises: 3 gentle moves
- Neck side stretch
- Shoulder blade squeeze (scapular squeeze)
- Wall angels for posture
- Upper trap stretch for neck and shoulder tension
- Neck diagonal stretch for a stiff neck
- Doorway chest stretch for rounded shoulders
- Mo: Posture & Back Pain Relief app