University of Newcastle researchers are calling for staff and students to help with a study investigating the relationship between neck posture and headaches.

The study is comparing the neck posture of people experiencing headache symptoms with the neck posture of people without headaches. Currently, researchers are mainly looking for people who don't suffer headaches to be a part of the control group.

Improving knowledge of the link between posture and headaches is expected to lead to improvements in assessment and treatment of patients with headaches.

The project will also determine the ability of different assessment methods, commonly used by physiotherapists, to detect differences in upper neck posture. This will inform decisions about the best methods to use in assessing and treating headaches.

You must be between 18-50 years old and not have any conditions that would normally prohibit manual treatment of the neck. We are recruiting people with headaches (experiencing at least one headache per week over the last 2 months) and people without headaches (no headaches or neck symptoms for which you sought treatment in the previous 12 months).

To take part, you will be required to attend the School of Health Sciences Laboratories in the Hunter Building at Callaghan on one occasion to have an assessment of your neck that includes a postural evaluation and X-rays. Please note: Pregnant women are unable to participate in this study.