Get neck pain relief with these easy-to-do neck stretches and exercises.
An aching neck can make it feel nearly impossible to focus on your priorities and even do daily tasks. Yet, neck pain has become one of the most common pain issues that Americans push through every day.
While many people rely on pain medications to quiet the nagging, others prefer a more natural – and lasting – way to relieve their neck pain without popping painkillers.
That’s where neck stretches, exercises, and comprehensive chiropractic care come in. Read on to learn the best neck exercises and stretches you can try today to alleviate your neck pain and improve your quality of life.
Top Causes of Neck Pain
If you’ve got neck pain, you’re not alone. At least 80% of people will experience some kind of neck pain during their lives. So what’s causing this all-too-common problem?
Poor posture
Poor posture (especially tech neck) places excessive weight and stress on the neck muscles which causes pain and discomfort. Poor posture can eventually lead to pinched nerves, degenerative disc disease, and bulging discs which are also common causes of neck pain.
Muscle strains
Neck muscles are easily strained through overuse or injury, especially in those who need to bend their necks frequently for work or hobbies (such as tradespeople or athletes).
Arthritis
Arthritis in the cervical spine (also called cervical spondylosis) is extremely common, affecting 85% of people over the age of 60. Pain and stiffness, particularly in the morning, is a cardinal sign of arthritis in the neck.
Injuries
Injuries like whiplash is a neck injury that occurs when the head is jerked suddenly backward and then forward, causing strain to the muscles and ligaments in the neck.
Stress
Daily stressors are a pain in the neck – literally. Emotional stress causes us to tense our neck and shoulder muscles, which eventually leads to pain and stiffness.
While some of these neck pain culprits are avoidable, others are simply part of life. The good news is that the key to protecting your neck and relieving the inevitable aches and pains can be as simple as a stretching routine.
Why Stretching is the Key to Neck Pain Relief
Stretching exercises help reduce neck pain by easing muscle stiffness and reducing muscle tension, the most common causes of neck pain.
In addition to relieving neck pain, stretching also helps prevent neck pain from developing in the first place. Regular stretching can help to improve posture and muscle balance. And by keeping your neck and upper back muscles flexible and strong, you’ll also reduce your risk of developing injuries or tissue degeneration that lead to chronic neck pain.
Neck Pain Relief Phase 1: Start with Gentle Stretches
The stretches that are most effective for relieving neck pain are typically gentle and slow. These exercises can help to loosen tight muscles and improve mobility in the neck area without over-exerting the neck (which can increase pain). Here are 3 simple stretches to start gentle:
1) Neck Rotations
Neck rotations are a stretching exercise that can help to relieve tension in the neck muscles and improve range of motion. Spend a few minutes doing this exercise every morning after waking and before bed to promote healthy neck mobility. It’s also great to use when your neck feels stiff, achy, or misaligned.
In this exercise, you’ll gently rotate your head to each side. Along with alleviating pain and improving your range of motion, this exercise also improves circulation in the area to heal stressed or damaged tissue.
Try it yourself:
- Begin by sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders relaxed.
- Slowly turn your head to the left, keeping your chin parallel to the floor. You should feel a gentle stretch on the right side of your neck.
- Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds, breathing deeply.
- Slowly return your head to the center.
- Repeat the stretch on the other side, turning your head to the right and feeling the stretch on the left side of your neck.
- Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds, breathing deeply.
- Repeat the exercise 5-10 times on each side, or as many times as feels comfortable.
2) Chin Tucks
If you spend your days looking at a computer screen, chin tucks are a great way to realign your neck and prevent issues like tech neck. Chin tucks draw the chin inward to bring the neck back into a straight position (rather than a “head forward position”). Practiced daily, this exercise will improve your posture and alleviate tension and aching in the neck muscles.
Try it yourself:
- Begin by sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders relaxed.
- Slowly tuck your chin inward, as if trying to create a double chin. You should feel a gentle stretch in the back of your neck.
- Hold the stretch for 5-10 seconds, breathing deeply.
- Slowly release the stretch, returning your head to a neutral position.
- Repeat the exercise 5-10 times, or as many times as feels comfortable.
3) Shoulder Rolls
Have you ever noticed that when you’re stressed or in pain, your shoulders creep up toward your ears? This is a common posture we take to “brace” ourselves when we feel overwhelmed or vulnerable. Shoulder rolls are a great way to gently coax the shoulders back to a neutral position and calm your neck muscles.
In this exercise, you will roll your shoulders forward and backward in a circular motion, which can help to loosen up tight muscles in the neck and shoulders and promote relaxation.
Try it yourself:
- Begin by sitting up straight with your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders relaxed.
- Slowly roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion, as if trying to draw a circle with your shoulders.
- Continue the motion for 5-10 rotations, breathing deeply.
- Slowly reverse the direction, rolling your shoulders backward in a circular motion.
- Continue the motion for 5-10 rotations, breathing deeply.
- Repeat the exercise 5-10 times, or as many times as feels comfortable.
Important Reminder about Neck Stretches
With all these exercises, it’s important to go through these motions slowly and gently, avoiding any sudden or jerky movements (as that could cause pain or further injury). If you experience any discomfort or pain during this exercise, stop the exercise and speak with your AlignLife chiropractor. They can help you find ways to stretch your neck and shoulders that work best for your body.
Other Gentle Neck Pain Relief Therapies
Along with stretching, applying certain self-care therapies can help you get neck pain relief faster:
- Cold Therapy: Cold therapy (like ice packs or cooling balms) can ease the pain and inflammation of recent neck strains or injury. Apply cold therapy if your neck pain started within the past day or so.
- Heat Therapy: Heat not only soothes sore and aching neck muscles but can encourage circulation to the muscles and joints of the neck to improve healing. Use heat therapy for chronic neck pain, or neck pain that is worse in cold weather.
- Massage: Whether you massage your own neck or visit a trusted massage therapist, massage helps to improve circulation, relieve tension, and release tender pressure points that cause neck pain.
Neck Pain Relief Phase 2: Build Neck Muscle Strength
Once you’ve relieved your neck pain, it’s time to move on to building neck strength. While stretching and pain management techniques can help alleviate symptoms, building strength in the neck muscles can provide long-lasting relief and prevent future pain and injuries.
How do you know if you have weak neck muscles?
Take a good look at your posture. If you often find yourself slouching or hunching forward, your neck muscles are likely not strong enough to support your head and maintain proper alignment. And the further your head slips forward, the more weight you put on your neck muscles (usually about an extra 40-50 pounds!). Over time, this weakens your neck muscles even further.
Strengthening the neck muscles goes beyond pain relief and helps you build a more resilient neck and better posture, all while boosting mobility and range of motion. Many people also find that working on building up their neck strength also reduces headaches, improves brain fog, and boosts physical performance!
The best neck-strengthening exercises
1) Prone Cobra
Prone cobra is a yoga exercise that builds neck strength by strengthening the muscles of the shoulder girdle, upper back, and neck. This exercise uses gravity as resistance, making it an effective way to challenge and strengthen your muscles.
Try it yourself:
- Begin by lying face down on the floor with a rolled-up towel under your forehead for comfort.
- Place your arms at your sides with your palms facing down on the floor. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth, which helps stabilize the muscles in the front of the neck to assist in strengthening.
- Pinch your shoulder blades together and lift your hands off the floor, rolling your elbows in, palms out, and thumbs up.
- Next, gently lift your forehead about an inch off the towel, keeping your eyes looking straight at the floor without tipping your head back and looking forward.
- Hold this position for 10 seconds before releasing and returning to the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise for 10 repetitions.
2) Lateral Neck Flex
The lateral neck flex is an exercise that can help build neck strength and stability by targeting the muscles on the sides of the neck. In addition to building strength, the lateral neck flex exercise can also improve neck flexibility and reduce tension in the neck muscles that lead to pain and headaches. For a more advanced exercise, you can try a weighted lateral neck flex to build even more strength.
Try it yourself:
- Start by sitting or standing with good posture, keeping your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.
- Next, slowly tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear towards your shoulder without lifting your shoulder up.
- Hold this position for 5-10 seconds, feeling a stretch on the opposite side of the neck.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
3) Scapula Squeeze
Scapula (or shoulder blade) squeezes build neck strength by targeting the muscles in the upper back and shoulders. This helps reduce the load on the neck muscles and prevent strain or injury.
Try it yourself:
- To perform shoulder blade squeezes, start by sitting or standing with your shoulders relaxed and your arms at your sides.
- Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades together, as if you were trying to hold a pencil between them.
- Hold the position for a few seconds, then slowly release and return to your starting position.
- Repeat the exercise 10-15 times.
Important Reminder about Neck Exercises
Before you dive into phase two, it’s important to approach strength-building stretches with caution. Some stretching exercises may be more appropriate than others, depending on the nature and severity of your neck pain. Speak with your AlignLife chiropractic team or another trusted healthcare professional before beginning any new exercise regimen.
Neck Pain Relief Phase 3: Maintain Relief with Chiropractic Care
Getting relief from neck pain is just the beginning. The real goal is to prevent neck pain from returning and living a pain-free life.
Along with stretching, exercises, and self-care therapies, chiropractic is an essential part of a neck wellness plan. While each of these practices can be beneficial on its own, together they provide the best comprehensive approach to improving neck mobility and stability.
When it comes to neck pain, chiropractic adjustments realign the vertebrae in the neck to reduce pressure on nerves, muscles, and other tissues. This helps reduce painful inflammation, improve circulation, and promote healing – all of which set the stage for a healthier neck.
Ready to put an end to aggravating neck pain?
Schedule a visit with your local AlignLife chiropractor to review these stretches and exercises, determine your best pain relief plan, and start healing today.