The effect of posture on neck proprioception and head/neck stabilization in asymptomatic participants

We sought to determine the effect of different body postures on neck proprioception and head/neck stabilization.

Twelve healthy college students completed a head repositioning task and a 'head still' task while wearing a headpiece (helmet) with laser fixed on top during standing, kneeling, sitting, and sitting with stabilization. Video data of the laser dot coordinates on a projection screen were obtained to examine the accuracy of the two tasks.

There was a significant effect of both posture and vision for both vertical and horizontal head movements during the head still task. Standing and kneeling generated more variable head movement than sitting with or without stabilization. Posture did not significantly affect head repositioning accuracy.

For healthy young adults, clinicians and researchers need to be concerned with postural influences on tasks that involve head/cervical spine stabilization, but not head repositioning accuracy.