Functional Gaze and Head–Eye Coordination
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Number Chase
Project the cross-hair onto a wall-mounted clock-face layout with numbers 1 to 12 arranged in a circle.
Using head movement only, move the cross-hair sequentially from 1 to 12 in order, returning to centre between each point.
Complete the full sequence, focusing on smooth, accurate transitions and steady pacing throughout.
Why it matters?
This exercise trains your head to move smoothly and accurately between different positions without hesitation or wobble.
By following a numbered sequence, your brain learns how to plan and carry out movements with better control and timing.
Over time, this helps improve how well your head responds to changes in focus and direction, especially during activities that require quick shifts in attention.
Alphabet Trace
Project the cross-hair onto the block letter chart.
Using slow, controlled head movement, trace each letter one at a time, following the shape closely with the cross-hair.
Spend about 15 seconds per letter to maintain precision.
Complete all rows in sequence, resting between rows if needed. Focus on smooth movement and accuracy.
Why it matters?
Carefully tracing the outlines of letters helps you develop better control over slow and steady head movement.
It teaches your muscles to work together to guide your head through both straight and curved paths without jerking or drifting.
This builds coordination, smoothness and muscle endurance in your neck, which are essential for maintaining control during longer or more complex tasks.
High–Low Switch
Project the cross-hair between two fixed targets (or identify marks on the wall) placed 40 cm above and below eye level.
Move your head up and down to switch between them, keeping the movement smooth and avoiding any bending of your back or shoulders.
Maintain full control and return precisely to each target.
Why it matters?
Looking up and down with only your neck, without moving your back or shoulders, builds precision and control through your full vertical range of movement.
This improves how your neck muscles work together to stay steady and accurate, even when changing levels.
It also helps strengthen the link between what your eyes are doing and how your neck responds.
Reach with Fixation
Face a central target at eye level and hold the cross-hair steady.
Reach out from your body to simulate picking up an object, then return to start without letting the cross-hair drift.
Perform controlled reaches for both arms.
Why it matters?
This exercise helps your brain learn how to keep your head and eyes still while your arms move.
It improves how different parts of your body can work at the same time without interfering with each other.
By training your neck to remain steady while reaching, you develop better overall control, making it easier to stay focused and stable during more active movements.
Moving Object Pursuit
Track a slowly moving target at eye level using head movement only, keeping the cross-hair aligned.
With a partner-held object or a simple pendulum (e.g. an object on a string hung from a hook).
Follow the motion smoothly without overshoot or drift.
Why it matters?
Following a moving object with your head and eyes builds your ability to track something steadily without losing focus.
It helps smooth out how your head moves during tracking and reduces jerky or uneven motion.
The more precisely you can follow a moving target, the better your coordination and stability become during continuous or flowing activities.
Conversational Hold
Project the cross-hair onto a central target at eye level and hold it as steady as possible using head control.
While maintaining this position, engage in conversation with a partner or speak continuously on a familiar topic.
Focus on keeping the cross-hair centred throughout, allowing your neck muscles to stabilise automatically while speaking.
Why it matters?
Holding your head still while talking strengthens your ability to stay balanced and in control without needing to think about it.
It teaches your neck muscles to do their job automatically while your attention is focused on other things.
This makes it easier to stay steady during longer periods of speaking, thinking or listening without feeling tense or off balance.
Serial Sevens Hold
Project the cross-hair onto a central target at eye level.
Hold it steady using controlled head posture while reciting the “serial sevens” task aloud—counting backwards from 100 in steps of seven (e.g. 100, 93, 86…).
Maintain steady cross-hair alignment throughout, minimising drift or tension while thinking and speaking.
Why it matters?
This trains your ability to keep your head steady even when your brain is busy.
By adding a thinking task, your neck muscles have to hold their position without direct focus.
This helps your body learn how to stay in control during challenging or distracting situations and builds endurance in your postural system when mental effort is high.
Eye–Head Alternation
Face forward with targets placed at eye level to your left and right.
Look left with your eyes only, keeping your head still.
Then turn your head to align the cross-hair with the right-hand target.
Return to centre and repeat the sequence, keeping movements smooth and distinct, with eyes always leading and head following.
Why it matters?
This exercise helps your brain separate eye movement from head movement.
Learning to move your eyes in one direction and then your head in another improves how your visual system and neck muscles work together.
It trains better coordination and helps your body switch more easily between different ways of looking around, especially when things are changing quickly.
Reading Trace
Place a book, magazine or printed passage at eye level. Project the cross-hair directly onto the text.
Read aloud while tracing each line with slow, steady head movement, keeping the cross-hair aligned.
Continue to the end of the passage, pausing briefly at natural breaks if needed, then resume with smooth motion and consistent tracking.
Why it matters?
Combining head movement with speaking out loud helps build rhythm, timing and control.
It strengthens the link between what your body is doing and what your brain is processing at the same time.
By practising steady head movement while reading, you train your system to stay on task for longer without losing accuracy or becoming tired.
Metronome Infinity Loop
Set a metronome to between 40 to 60 beats per minute.
Using head movement only, trace a large figure-of-eight (infinity loop) with the cross-hair aligned to a wall-mounted template at eye level.
Each side of the loop should match one beat.
Complete smooth loops clockwise, then anticlockwise, maintaining steady speed and accurate alignment throughout.
Why it matters?
Moving your head in a smooth figure-of-eight pattern in time with a steady beat helps train continuous, flowing control.
Unlike sharp corners or straight lines, the infinity shape requires constant adjustment and coordination across both sides of the neck.
Matching the movement to a regular rhythm strengthens your timing, balance and precision, while also training endurance and symmetry.