Comparative analysis of head-tilt and forward head position during laptop use between females with postural induced headache and healthy controls.

OBJECTIVES: To compare 1) maximum manually induced head-protraction, head-tilt and forward head position and 2) the evolution of head-tilt and forward head position during a laptop-task between a headache- and control-group.

METHODS: Angles for maximum head-protraction, head-tilt and forward head position of 12 female students with postural induced headache and 12 female healthy controls were calculated at baseline and while performing a laptop-task.

RESULTS: The headache-group demonstrated an increased passive head-protraction of 22.30% compared to the control-group. The ratio of forward head position during habitual sitting to the maximum head-protraction differed significantly (p = 0.046) between headache-group (1.4 ± 0.4) and the control-group (1.1 ± 0.2). The headache-group showed a biphasic forward head position and head-tilt profile. These profiles differed significantly (p < 0.05) between groups and were negatively correlated (rE = -0.927).

CONCLUSION: The headache-group showed a larger passive head-protraction with a habitual forward head-position further located from the end-range. During the laptop-task forward head position and head-tilt behaved biphasically with a more static forward head position and a more dynamic head-tilt.