The neck is a highly mobile structure, with an arc of 140° lateral rotation, 80° of lateral flexion, and 100° of flexion/extension in the sagittal plane. Subsequently the neck is susceptible to significant injury when subject to traumatic forces.

Different movements take place at cervical spine levels

Nodding movements occurs at the cranio-cervical joint
Lateral flexion occurs at the 3rd to 7th cervical vertebrae.
The principal fulcrum of flexion in the adult cervical spine occurs at C5/6.

Rotational movements occur throughout the lower cervical vertebrae, but principally at the atlanto-axial joint.