Common muscles that elongate and weaken due to long-term forward head posture include:

See Neck Muscles and Other Soft Tissues

When trying to correct forward head posture and relieve neck pain, these are muscles that may need to be targeted for strengthening. Also, other muscles may also need to be strengthened to help reduce forward head and rounded shoulder posture, depending on the patient’s specific needs.

See 3 Ways to Improve Forward Head Posture

These are the muscles that commonly shorten and tighten due to long-term forward head posture:

These muscles are commonly the focus of stretches to help reduce neck pain and improve forward head posture. Numerous other muscles may become shortened or lengthened due to forward head posture, and the specific muscle imbalances can vary depending on the case.

Watch: 4 Easy Stretches for Neck and Shoulder Pain Video

When forward head posture causes muscle pain, it typically feels like one or more of the following:

Forward head posture can lead to more than just muscle pain, including pain that stems from the joints, discs, nerve roots, and other nearby structures.

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