Your Body Almanac

Do chin tucks

Glide your head straight back to counter the forward-head posture that screens and desks encourage.

How often
Daily
Time
2 min
Recommended for
31 factors
Seated tall, the head glides straight back to make a double chin, eyes level, then relaxes forward.

How to do it

  1. Sit or stand tall with your shoulders relaxed and down, looking straight ahead.
  2. Pull your chin straight back, as if making a double chin. Keep your eyes level; glide, do not nod or tip your head.
  3. Hold for a count of five, then relax.
  4. Repeat 10 times. A light push on your chin with two fingers can guide the movement.
  5. Do a set a few times a day, especially during long screen sessions.

Why it helps

When your head drifts forward over a keyboard or phone, the muscles at the back of your neck have to work harder to hold it up. Chin tucks practice the opposite position and gently work the deep muscles at the front of the neck that help keep your head stacked over your shoulders.

Be careful

Move slowly and stay in a comfortable range. Stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, or numbness or tingling down an arm. See a doctor or physical therapist if neck pain persists.

Recommended for

occupation

Airline pilot

Long seated duty days across time zones and through the night.

5 risks · 15 practices
occupation

Auto mechanic

Under hoods and cars, bent over engines, hands in grease and solvent.

6 risks · 11 practices
habit

Binge-watching on the couch

One more episode, slumped into the cushions, snack within reach.

4 risks · 12 practices
hobby

Birdwatching and photography

Long walks outdoors with binoculars or a heavy camera around your neck.

4 risks · 10 practices
occupation

Call center agent

Headset on, calls back to back, timed and monitored.

5 risks · 12 practices
occupation

Cashier

Scan, bag, repeat, for hours in the same small space.

4 risks · 11 practices
habit

College student

Late nights, long study sessions, dining-hall meals and a new social world.

5 risks · 17 practices
occupation

Dental hygienist

Leaning over patients, fine instruments in hand, eyes inches from teeth.

5 risks · 13 practices
occupation

Electrician

Crawl spaces, ladders, overhead work and live circuits.

4 risks · 10 practices
habit

Frequent flying

Cramped seats, dry cabin air and crossed time zones, again and again.

5 risks · 11 practices
occupation

Graphic designer

Mouse, stylus and big screens, often against a deadline.

4 risks · 12 practices
occupation

Hairstylist

Arms up, scissors in hand, standing behind the chair all day.

4 risks · 10 practices
habit

Heavy smartphone use

Head down, thumbs busy, screen inches from your face for hours a day.

5 risks · 13 practices
hobby

Knitting and crochet

Thousands of small, repeated stitches with your head bent over the work.

5 risks · 10 practices
occupation

Massage therapist

Your hands are the tool, and your body is the lever behind them.

4 risks · 12 practices
occupation

Musician

Hours of practice, loud stages, late nights and an instrument to hold.

5 risks · 14 practices
occupation

Office worker

Desk, chair, screen, meetings, repeat.

5 risks · 16 practices
hobby

Painting and drawing

Hours of fine, precise hand work, often hunched over a page or easel.

4 risks · 10 practices
occupation

Physician

Long, high-stakes days with little time to eat, move or sleep.

5 risks · 16 practices
hobby

Playing guitar

Hours of fretting, strumming and holding an awkward posture.

4 risks · 10 practices
hobby

Playing piano

Long practice sessions on a bench with fast, forceful finger work.

3 risks · 7 practices
hobby

Reading

Hours curled up with a book or e-reader, head bent and eyes close.

4 risks · 9 practices
occupation

Remote worker

Laptop on the kitchen table, no commute, no reason to leave the house.

5 risks · 13 practices
hobby

Road cycling

Hours bent over the bars, legs spinning thousands of turns per ride.

5 risks · 15 practices
occupation

Software engineer

Long hours seated, eyes on screens, hands on keys.

5 risks · 13 practices
habit

Standing desk user

Swapped the chair for standing, and found standing has its own costs.

4 risks · 10 practices
occupation

Teacher

Talking all day, on your feet, with a classroom of needs to manage.

4 risks · 12 practices
hobby

Video gaming

Long sessions seated, thumbs flying, eyes locked on a bright screen.

5 risks · 13 practices
occupation

Welder

Fumes, sparks, UV light and awkward positions.

5 risks · 8 practices
habit

Working from the couch or bed

Laptop on your lap, pillows behind your back, no commute and no desk.

5 risks · 13 practices
hobby

Yoga

Deep stretches and long holds that can push joints past their limits.

4 risks · 10 practices