What it means
A sudden or gradual neck tilt in an adult, with painful spasm.
Where it comes from
Muscle spasm, disc injury or cervical dystonia locking the head in a tilted position.
How it is measured
It is measured on the front view, in the coronal plane. The defining measurement is Head tilted (Lateral head tilt), and it is reported as a finding from above 2°. 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 2° | Within normal range |
| 2–5° | Mild head tilt |
| 5–10° | Moderate head tilt |
| 10° and above | Severe head tilt |
Source of the bands: Photographic inter-tragus line from horizontal
What is usually seen alongside it
- One shoulder higher (Acromial tilt) — above 2°
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
Congenital torticollis is present from birth and often with a sternocleidomastoid mass; the acquired form has a datable onset. Neck rotation to the opposite side and cervical range complete the picture.
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 acquired torticollis reported?
When head tilted (lateral head tilt) is above 2°, it is reported as a finding. That is where the "Mild head tilt" band begins. The bands come from: Photographic inter-tragus line from horizontal
Can acquired torticollis 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. Congenital torticollis is present from birth and often with a sternocleidomastoid mass; the acquired form has a datable onset. Neck rotation to the opposite side and cervical range complete the picture.
What is the most severe grade?
The worst band in this table is "Severe head tilt". The grade is printed beside the measurement itself in the report, so it is always clear which number produced the word.