If you are one of the many people suffering from neck pain then you can try these stretches that I give to patients at The Physiotherapy Place with the same problem. These stretches, along with good posture, can often be enough to reduce pressure on the neck and give you relief from pain.
Neck Pain Stretch 1
Sit up straight and extend upwards through your spine as if trying to make your back as long as possible. Gently tuck your chin towards your neck 2cms, then look as far as you can over your left shoulder and then your right shoulder. Repeat left and right 10 times each.
Stretch 2
Put your right hand behind your back and reach your left hand on top of your head. Gently move your head downwards and to the left, using your left hand to add a bit of extra pressure so you can feel a good stretch on the right side of your neck. Hold for 30seconds and then repeat on the other side by switching hands.
Stretch 3
If recovery from your neck pain still isn't progressing as you hoped it would then it could be because there is stress being placed on the neck from an adjacent part of the body.
This can commonly happen from having stiffness in the mid to upper back. I find that this area is stiff in most people that are suffering from neck pain so will usually always treat this at the same time as treating the neck itself.
If the upper back is stiff it means that more stress is placed on the neck as it tries to compensate for the lack of mobility lower down.
A good way to stretch the upper back is to sit up tall with your arms folded across your chest, twist your upper back and shoulders as far as you can to the left, hold for 3 seconds, then do the same to the right. Repeat 10 times each way.
Neck Pain - How Often Should I Stretch?
Ideally these stretches should be performed each morning and evening whilst your symptoms persist. If you are consistently stretching for 2 weeks and there is no change in your neck pain then there is likely an underlying issue that needs to be addressed so an assessment and treatment from a Physio should be sought. Once your neck pain has resolved, these same stretches performed once per day will be beneficial to maintain a healthy spine and prevent recurrence of your symptoms.
If you want to find out more about how we can help you here at The Physiotherapy Place, arrange a time that one of our Physio's can give you a call here or book an appointment here.
FREE Physio E-Book - 8 quick and easy tips to help your neck pain and stiffness
Neck pain and stiffness is a common problem and one that can often linger on for a long time. Some who seek help from their GP will be prescribed rest and painkillers, but most of the time this will not solve the problem.
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