What it means
The head sitting in front of the shoulder line, with neck and shoulder pain by the end of the day.
Where it comes from
Hours looking at a screen carrying the cervical spine forward, holding the neck extensors in constant contraction.
How it is measured
It is measured on the side view, in the sagittal plane. The defining measurement is Where the head sits over the shoulder (Craniovertebral angle), and it is reported as a finding from below 50°. The number is computed from landmarks on that photograph — not estimated by eye, and not compared against a stock example.
What the numbers mean
| Measurement | Grade |
|---|---|
| up to undefined° | Within normal range |
| undefined–undefined° | Mild forward head |
| undefined–undefined° | Moderate forward head |
| undefined–undefined° | Severe forward head |
Source of the bands: Yip CHT, Chiu TTW, Poon ATK, Man Ther 2008;13:148-54 (CVA < 50° marks forward head posture)
What is usually seen alongside it
- Rounded upper back (Thoracic kyphosis) — above 45°
- Shoulders rolled forward (Scapular protraction) — above 3°
None of these is a diagnosis on its own. Together they corroborate the finding; apart, they do not refute it — a measurement nobody took counts neither for nor against.
What confirms it
The craniocervical flexion test, for deep neck flexor weakness.
Every number on this page is measured on the skin surface in a photograph. That is not the same as a measurement taken on a radiograph: it correlates with one and does not replace it. Wherever the decision depends on imaging, this page and the report itself say so.
What happens at the clinic
The assessment starts with three standing photographs — front, side and back. Every angle is measured on those photographs, the report prints the number and the grade for each, and the exercise programme is built from those numbers rather than from a template. Posture analysis explains the whole path, and the online assessment can be started from your own photograph now.
Frequently asked questions
At what point is forward head posture reported?
When where the head sits over the shoulder (craniovertebral angle) is below 50°, it is reported as a finding. That is where the "Mild forward head" band begins. The bands come from: Yip CHT, Chiu TTW, Poon ATK, Man Ther 2008;13:148-54 (CVA < 50° marks forward head posture)
Can forward head posture be assessed from a photograph?
A photograph gives a number, which most assessments do not have. But it is a surface measurement and it does not replace imaging. The craniocervical flexion test, for deep neck flexor weakness.
What is the most severe grade?
The worst band in this table is "Severe forward head". The grade is printed beside the measurement itself in the report, so it is always clear which number produced the word.