Do Chin Tucks Actually Work? Before & After Expectations + How Many a Day

Chin tucks, also known as neck retraction exercises, are performed by trying to make a double chin. It is an exercise we often teach for neck pain.

Chin tucks are one of the exercises we use for pain at the back of the neck and for pinched-nerve pain that travels into the arm and hand. Gentle nodding exercises similar to a chin tuck, which train the deep muscles at the front of the neck, appear to reduce ongoing (chronic) neck pain.^[1] This research tested a gentle head-nod exercise called craniocervical flexion training rather than the seated chin tuck taught below, so it applies to chin tucks only indirectly. For pinched-nerve arm pain the research is weaker: low-quality evidence suggests exercise gives a small benefit right after treatment, and it seems to work best as part of a combined treatment plan.^[2][3] However, in our experience many people find it tricky to understand and perform correctly at first.

Let's learn how to do them properly.

1. Face the Mirror

In our clinic we like people to see what they are doing while they learn, so start off by doing it in front of a mirror.

2. Do Them Sitting with Low Back Supported

Chin tucks can be performed sitting, standing, or lying down. However, when you are learning the exercise, start with sitting on a chair with buttocks touching all the way to the back of the chair. We teach it this way so it is easier to keep your back from arching and your shoulders from rounding while you focus on the neck movement.

3. Guide the Movement

Place one hand on the chin and the other on the back of the head. Try to perform a nodding movement by pushing the chin all the way in, making a double chin. Remember, this is a different movement from bending the neck forward: an X-ray study of healthy adults found that a chin tuck combines forward bending at the top of the neck with backward bending lower down.^[4]

4. Feel for the Stretch

You may feel a gentle pull at the back of your head and upper neck, right under your hairline. An X-ray study of healthy adults found that a full chin tuck takes the top joints of the neck, just below the skull, to the end of their forward-bending range.^[4]

5. Change the Starting Position if You Have an Upper Back Hump

If your upper back is quite rounded (thoracic kyphosis) and your head naturally sits forward, in our experience starting from a fully upright, eyes-level position can be hard. In our clinic we often have people start the chin tuck with their eyes looking slightly down instead of straight at the mirror.

We do this so the movement starts from a position that suits the shape of your upper back; your therapist can adjust it to what feels right for you.

6. Repeat Frequently

In our clinic we usually suggest doing this exercise 4-5 times per day (sets of 7-10 reps), or as advised by your McKenzie therapist; research has not yet established the ideal dose for neck exercises.^[2] Be aware of postures and ergonomics during daily activities.

Do Chin Tucks Actually Work? What to Expect (Before & After)

They may help some people, but they are not a cure-all, and most of the research is on closely related exercises rather than the seated chin tuck itself. Gentle nodding exercises that train the deep muscles at the front of the neck (related to, but not the same as, a chin tuck) appear to reduce ongoing (chronic) neck pain and improve head posture,^[1] and strengthening exercises for the neck, shoulder and upper-back region have moderate-quality evidence for ongoing neck pain.^[2] Exercise programs that include this kind of deep-neck training may also ease headaches that start in the neck, while for arm pain from a pinched nerve the evidence for exercise is weaker.^[2][3] No single neck exercise or method has been shown to be best for everyone: a review of five trials of McKenzie-based care for neck pain found that its extra benefit over other approaches, or over simply waiting, was not clinically important for disability and may not be for pain, although not all of the therapists in those trials had full McKenzie training.^[5] That is why we choose exercises based on how your own neck responds. Here is what the research supports, and what we see in our clinic.

Are Chin Tuck Results Real?

This is one of the most-searched questions, and the honest answer is: research on related exercises, such as deep-neck-flexor nodding and neck strengthening, supports them as one reasonable option for what they are designed to treat — neck pain, head posture and headaches that start in the neck, with weaker evidence for pinched-nerve arm symptoms — usually as part of a broader exercise program, and results vary from person to person. These studies did not test the seated chin tuck itself.^[1][2][3] The "results" you see in viral before-and-after photos claiming a sharper jawline or vanished double chin are a different story: we could not find any study that has tested chin tucks for this, and a 2025 review of facial exercises in general found the evidence too limited to say with confidence that they change how the face looks.^[6] Set your expectations around the neck and posture benefits below.

How Long Until Chin Tucks Start Working?

In our experience, how quickly chin tucks help varies a lot from person to person, and not everyone responds to them. For posture, one trial found that people with chronic neck pain who practised gentle nodding exercises for the deep neck muscles for 6 weeks got better at keeping their head upright during a computer task.^[7] For pinched-nerve symptoms caused by a neck disc problem, studies of how the condition unfolds over time show that most people recover, with substantial improvement tending to occur within the first 4 to 6 months after symptoms start.^[8] This describes how the condition tends to settle over time in general; it is not a measure of how quickly chin tucks themselves work. In our experience, posture habits built up over many years can take longer to change.

Chin Tucks Before and After: Realistic Expectations

With consistent practice, you may notice:

• Less neck pain and better neck range of motion^[1]
• Less headache pain, if your headaches start in the neck^[2]
• Arm tingling or pain moving closer to the spine and fading (called centralization). In low back pain this is a well-established good sign; for the neck the evidence is more limited, and it does not happen for everyone^[9]
• A better ability to keep your head upright while sitting at a computer^[7]

Do Chin Tucks Work for a Double Chin or Jawline?

This is one of the most common questions — and the honest answer is that chin tucks are a clinical neck exercise, not a cosmetic one. Gentle nodding exercises related to the chin tuck train the deep neck flexor muscles, and in people with chronic neck pain a review of 25 trials found that this kind of training improved neck muscle endurance and head posture.^[1] We could not find any study showing that chin tucks reduce a double chin or change the shape of the jaw. So if the area under your chin looks tighter while you hold the position, don't read that as fat loss or a change in jaw shape; no study we found has shown either.

So do chin tucks work? For neck pain, head posture, and headaches that start in the neck, research on related deep-neck-flexor and neck-strengthening exercises supports this kind of training as a reasonable part of an exercise program when done correctly and consistently, although results vary from person to person and these studies did not test the seated chin tuck itself; for pinched-nerve arm symptoms the evidence is weaker.^[1][2][3] For reshaping your jawline or removing a double chin, there is no good evidence that they work. It is worth knowing the difference before you build your routine around the wrong goal.

How Often Should You Do Chin Tucks?

For most people we recommend 4-5 sessions spread throughout the day, with 7-10 repetitions per session. We prefer short, frequent sessions over one long one because the aim is to practise the position throughout your day; research has not yet established the best dose or schedule for neck exercises.^[2] Always follow the specific guidance of your McKenzie therapist for your condition.

Do Chin Tucks and Neck Curls Work Together?

Many people ask whether combining chin tucks (retraction) with neck curls actually works. Here is the honest answer: we are not aware of research testing this exact pairing. Strengthening exercises for the neck, shoulder and upper-back region have moderate-quality evidence for easing ongoing neck pain,^[2] and gentle nodding training of the deep neck flexors, an exercise related to the chin tuck, appears to help both pain and head posture.^[1] In one trial that compared this nodding training with endurance-strength training of the neck flexor muscles over 6 weeks, the nodding group showed a significant improvement in keeping the neck upright during a computer task.^[7] Neck curls involve lifting your head while lying on your back. In our clinic we usually teach the chin tuck first and add neck curls only if they suit your neck.

A common question is whether chin tucks and neck curls work for the jawline or a double chin. As with chin tucks alone, we found no research showing that they change your jawline or a double chin: these are clinical neck exercises, not cosmetic ones. If you have pain or tingling running down your arm, get assessed before adding loaded neck exercises, so your therapist can check how your arm symptoms respond to different neck movements and positions.

If you are doing chin tucks and not seeing results, check your form against the steps above. It may also be that your neck responds better to a different direction of movement, although not everyone has a clear "directional preference" (studies find no such response in about a third of patients), and the evidence for it is much stronger for the low back than for the neck.^[9] A Certified McKenzie therapist can assess whether your symptoms respond to a particular direction of movement.

---

To meet a certified McKenzie therapist in East Brunswick, call 551-208-3234 at Spineck Physical Therapy.

References

1. Javdaneh N, Mozafaripour E, Mohammadi A, et al. The effect of craniocervical flexor exercise on chronic neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain Manag. 2026;16(10):1171-1181. doi:10.1080/17581869.2026.2694373 · PubMed
2. Gross A, Kay TM, Paquin JP, et al. Exercises for mechanical neck disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;1(1):CD004250. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004250.pub5 · PubMed
3. Núñez de Arenas-Arroyo S, Mavridis D, Martínez-Vizcaíno V, et al. What components and formats of rehabilitation interventions are more effective to reduce pain in patients with cervical radiculopathy? A systematic review and component network meta-analysis. Clin Rehabil. 2025;39(10):1296-1310. doi:10.1177/02692155251365193 · PubMed
4. Ordway NR, Seymour RJ, Donelson RG, et al. Cervical flexion, extension, protrusion, and retraction: a radiographic segmental analysis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1999;24(3):240-247. doi:10.1097/00007632-199902010-00008 · PubMed
5. Takasaki H, May S. Mechanical diagnosis and therapy has similar effects on pain and disability as 'wait and see' and other approaches in people with neck pain: a systematic review. J Physiother. 2014;60(2):78-84. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2014.05.006 · PubMed
6. Seraj SS, Moses O, Kamel Y, et al. Efficacy of conservative techniques for mechanical facial rejuvenation: a systematic review. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2025;7:ojaf144. doi:10.1093/asjof/ojaf144 · PubMed
7. Falla D, Jull G, Russell T, et al. Effect of neck exercise on sitting posture in patients with chronic neck pain. Phys Ther. 2007;87(4):408-417. doi:10.2522/ptj.20060009 · PubMed
8. Wong JJ, Côté P, Quesnele JJ, et al. The course and prognostic factors of symptomatic cervical disc herniation with radiculopathy: a systematic review of the literature. Spine J. 2014;14(8):1781-1789. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2014.02.032 · PubMed
9. May S, Runge N, Aina A. Centralization and directional preference: an updated systematic review with synthesis of previous evidence. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2018;38:53-62. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2018.09.006 · PubMed

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for an individual evaluation by a licensed clinician.