You Are Tired, Tense, and Tight—But No One Has Asked About Your Brain
You have tried stretching, strengthening, foam rolling, ergonomic chairs, posture braces—but your posture still does not feel “right.” Your shoulders slump forward. Your head juts out. You are achy by noon and foggy by 3 PM. You have heard posture is a muscle issue. But what if it is actually a brain issue?
In chiropractic neurology, we view posture as an output of your nervous system, not just a mechanical alignment problem. Your posture reflects how your brain is organizing sensory input, regulating tone, and executing motor patterns. And if your frontal lobe, brainstem, or proprioceptive systems are underperforming, your posture will show it.
This is not about standing up straighter—it is about getting your brain and body working together.
Poor Posture Is Not Just Bad Habits—It Is Brain-Based
Most people think bad posture comes from laziness or weakness. But posture is a neurological strategy, not just a conscious decision. If your brainstem is upregulated or your frontal lobe is underactive, you’ll default to what’s called primal posturing—a protective, flexor-dominant state that prioritizes survival over structure.
This is why no amount of “shoulders back, chin up” will work long-term. You cannot “will” your way out of a brain-driven postural pattern.
Chiropractic Neurology Sees Posture Differently
As chiropractic neurologists, we do not just look at posture from the outside—we assess how the nervous system is shaping the internal conditions that lead to it.
We examine:
- Brainstem tone vs. frontal lobe control
- Vestibular and proprioceptive integration
- Flexor/extensor muscle balance and neural drive
- Patterns of compensation after injury, trauma, or chronic stress
Posture is the end result of all these systems communicating efficiently—or not.
Let’s Break It Down: What Healthy Posture Requires Neurologically
1. Frontal Lobe Activation: The Brain’s Posture Coach
The frontal lobe, particularly the premotor and supplementary motor areas, helps initiate upright posture by inhibiting primitive reflexes and calming overactive lower brain regions (e.g., the brainstem and limbic system).
A strong frontal lobe leads to:
- Better control of postural tone
- Inhibition of overactive flexor dominance
- Improved ability to focus and hold body awareness
When the frontal lobe is underactive (due to fatigue, TBI, stress, or neurodevelopmental delay), the body reverts to primal posturing—rounded shoulders, anterior head carriage, and slouched torso.
2. Anterior Head Carriage: A Sign of Survival Mode
Anterior head carriage is one of the most visible and common signs of postural dysfunction. It places 30–40 pounds of force on the cervical spine for every inch the head moves forward from neutral.
More than mechanical strain, it often reflects:
- Vestibular dysfunction: the brain’s internal GPS isn’t sure where “center” is
- Visual-motor mismatch: eyes and body aren’t aligned
- Brainstem hyperactivity: the body is locked in a “fight-or-flight” state
Research shows that forward head posture increases activation in the sternocleidomastoid and suboccipital muscles, leading to neck pain, headaches, and fatigue (Fernández-de-Las-Peñas et al., 2017). But the root cause often lies in poor sensorimotor integration—not tight muscles alone.
3. Flexor vs. Extensor Innervation: The Brain Favors Flexion Under Stress
Your flexor and extensor muscles are not innervated equally. Flexor muscles (which pull the body inward) are more primitive and are favored during stress and immaturity. Extensor muscles (which open and lift the body) require higher brain activation.
This is why:
- Babies first show strong flexor tone (fetal position)
- Brain injuries often lead to flexor dominance
- Adults under chronic stress slouch and curl inward
Healthy postural tone relies on descending corticospinal tracts from the cortex to inhibit flexor tone and promote extensor activation. When these pathways are underused or damaged, flexors dominate.
4. Primal Posturing: Your Brain’s Emergency Reflex
When the nervous system feels unsafe—due to stress, trauma, or sensory overload—it shifts into primal posturing:
- Chin tucks and neck flexes (to protect the brainstem)
- Shoulders roll forward (to shield the heart and lungs)
- Spine curls (minimizing exposure)
This posture is neurologically “cheap”—it does not require frontal lobe control. But it comes at a cost: joint compression, reduced lung capacity, poor digestion, and lowered confidence.
Over time, it rewires the brain’s idea of what “neutral” posture is.
How Neurodevelopmental Conditions Affect Posture
Children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders often display noticeable postural challenges that go beyond musculoskeletal mechanics. Conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) frequently involve dysfunction in the vestibular system, cerebellum, and frontal lobes.
Some common postural patterns in neurodevelopmental conditions include:
- Low muscle tone (hypotonia) or poor core stability
- W-sitting or other compensatory seated postures
- Slumped or collapsed upper body tone
- Uncoordinated gait or difficulty maintaining upright posture during walking
- Anterior head carriage due to visual-vestibular mismatches
Why does this happen?
- Poor sensory integration: The brain can’t interpret or respond accurately to proprioceptive and vestibular input
- Underdeveloped postural reflexes: These reflexes may persist beyond infancy or fail to mature
- Frontal lobe underactivity: Difficulty with motor planning, inhibition, and postural awareness
Addressing posture in these populations requires more than stretches and exercises. It involves re-training how the nervous system perceives gravity, space, and movement, and how it uses that information to organize the body in space.
External Signs of a Neurologically-Driven Postural Pattern
You might see:
- Forward head posture or turtle-necking
- Slouched shoulders or winging scapulae
- Pelvic tilt or swayback
- Uneven weight distribution when standing
- Difficulty holding posture even after stretching or strengthening
These are often compensations for dysfunctional sensory input, not just “weak muscles.”
The Plan: A Brain-Based Approach to Rebuilding Posture
Instead of fighting your body, we retrain your brain. Our approach starts by restoring neurological balance and rebuilding postural reflexes through specific, non-invasive tools:
Step 1: Neurological Exam and Sensory Mapping
We identify:
- Asymmetries in cerebellar, frontal, or brainstem function
- Visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive mismatches
- Areas of poor sensory gating or delayed reflex inhibition
This gives us a functional map of where the brain-body communication is breaking down.
Step 2: Frontal Lobe and Extensor Activation
We use targeted sensory-motor exercises (e.g., eye movements, balance work, cognitive drills) to:
- Activate prefrontal cortex
- Improve postural reflexes
- Reduce brainstem overdrive
Step 3: Myofascial and Sensorimotor Therapies
We often include:
- Gentle manual therapies to decrease overactive flexor tone
- Proprioceptive retraining for neck, trunk, and pelvis
- Coordination drills to reinforce upright postural mapping
These interventions help reinforce the brain’s map of upright, engaged, and stable posture.
Step 4: Ongoing Neurological Conditioning
We give clients daily brain-based postural exercises to reinforce:
- Frontal lobe activation
- Extensor muscle tone
- Sensory accuracy
This helps lock in postural changes at a neuroplastic level.
You Are Not Lazy—You Are Wired That Way (But You Can Change It)
If you have struggled with posture for years, it is not your fault. Postural habits are deeply brain-based and often tied to early developmental patterns, injuries, or stress. But with a chiropractic neurology approach, we can help retrain your nervous system to support the posture your body was meant to have.
Do not settle for fighting your own reflexes. Let’s get your brain and body speaking the same language again.
If you or someone you love is experiencing postural changes or bad posture and you would like to learn how chiropractic neurology can help, contact the team at Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center today. We look forward to hearing from you.
Written by Sophie Hose, DC, MS, DACNB, CCSP
References
- Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., Cuadrado, M. L., Arendt-Nielsen, L., Simons, D. G., Pareja, J. A. (2007). Myofascial trigger points and sensitization: an updated pain model for tension-type headache. Cephalalgia, 27(5), 383-393.
- Gurfinkel, V. S., Cordo, P. J., Gurfinkel, V. S., & Levik, Y. S. (2006). Postural control in the elderly. Current Aging Science, 5(2), 177-184.
- Dietz, V. (2002). Proprioception and locomotor disorders. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 3(10), 781-790.
- Nudo, R. J. (2013). Recovery after brain injury: mechanisms and principles. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 887.