Mobile phones, laptops, and smart tablets have brought the world of learning and entertainment to our fingertips, but at the same time, spending long hours on these electronic devices has pushed us into a world of body pains, discomfort, and irritability. How?
Poor posture: We tend to end up using these devices in poor posture, where we are either slouching or hunching over the screen. This prolonged slouching or hunching strains the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back, leading to discomfort and even chronic pain over time.
Besides this, it increases the possibility of repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), which include carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis in the wrists, hands, and fingers.
Poor posture due to the wrong use of electronic devices is just one of the causes of neck pain. Your neck pain may be due to any of these causes:
Physical Causes:
- Muscle strain or tension
- Injury or trauma
- Degenerative conditions
- Herniated or bulging discs
- Muscle imbalances
- Postural abnormalities
- Nerve compression
Environmental and Behavioral Causes:
- Poor sleeping habits
- Stress and tension
Medical Conditions:
- Certain medical conditions
We hope that the cause of your neck pain is diagnosed as soon as possible and we reach the next step as to what is to be done to bring relief from neck pain.
10 Stretching Exercise For Neck Pain
You might wonder how stretching the strained muscles in the neck can bring relief. Well, it does amazingly. Think of your neck like a coiled spring that’s wound up too tight, causing pain. Now, with the proper stretches, you gently loosen that spring, letting out the tension bit by bit. Even though it might feel strange to move your sore muscles, stretching helps to make them feel better.
When you do the right stretching exercises gently and consistently, you benefit this way:
- Relieves muscle tension by relaxing the muscles in the neck.
- Real improvement in the flexibility and range of motion in the neck muscles.
- Stretching increases blood flow to the muscles, which reduces inflammation, aiding in pain relief.
- Strengthening and stretching neck muscles promotes good posture.
- It promotes relaxation and reduces stress.
Here are the 10 stretches for neck pain that shall help your muscles become more flexible and let you move more freely again. It’s like giving your body a little dance break to feel good again!
Neck Tilt Stretch:
- Sit or stand up straight (whatever suits you)
- Now, very gently tilt your head to one side. The aim is to tilt the head to the point where your ear bends towards your shoulder.
- Do it on both sides and every time, try to hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
Neck Rotation Stretch:
- Sit or stand up straight.
- Gently turn your head to one side, looking over your shoulder.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Chin to Chest Stretch:
- Sit or stand up straight (whatever suits you)
- Now, gently lower your chin towards your chest. You may feel a stretch along the back of your neck.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
Backward Neck Stretch:
- Sit or stand up straight.
- Interlace your fingers and place your hands behind your head.
- Gently press your head back into your hands, feeling a stretch along the front of your neck.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
Shoulder Rolls:
- You may choose to stand or sit, but your arms must hang loosely at your sides.
- Now inhale deeply and lift both shoulders upwards, your ears as if you’re shrugging.
- Next, exhale as you roll your shoulders back and down in a circular motion, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you bring them down and back.
- Continue the circular motion for 10-15 seconds, focusing on releasing tension in the shoulders and upper back.
- Reverse the direction of the shoulder rolls, bringing your shoulders forward and up on the inhale, then rolling them down and back on the exhale.
- Perform 2-3 repetitions in each direction.
Levator Scapulae Stretch:
- Sit or stand up straight.
- Reach one arm behind your back and grab onto the wrist with your other hand.
- Gently pull your arm downwards while tilting your head towards the opposite shoulder.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Upper Trapezius Stretch:
- Gently tilt your head to one side. Try bringing your ear towards your shoulder.
- Use your hand to apply gentle pressure to the top of your head, increasing the stretch.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Scalene Stretch:
- Sit or stand up straight.
- Reach one hand behind your back and grab onto the wrist with your other hand.
- Gently pull your arm downwards while tilting your head towards the opposite shoulder.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Neck Circles:
- Sit or stand up straight.
- Slowly and gently rotate your head in a circular motion, moving from one side to the other.
- Perform 5-10 reps in one direction, then switch and perform 5-10 circles in the opposite direction.
Side-to-Side Bend:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms hanging loosely at your sides.
- Inhale deeply and raise both arms overhead, palms facing inward.
- As you exhale, slowly lean your upper body to one side, keeping your hips stable and shoulders relaxed.
- Feel the stretch along the side of your body from your fingertips down to your hip.
- Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds while continuing to breathe deeply.
- Inhale as you return to the starting position, then repeat the stretch on the opposite side.
- Perform 2-3 repetitions on each side.
Besides these stretching exercises, you can bring relief to chronic neck pain with heat therapy. Research shows how stretching and heat therapy have proven to be excellent in reducing pain and discomfort in the muscles. Combine the awesomeness of heat therapy and gentle stretching exercises to gain immense relief from neck pain. For heat therapy, we highly recommend heating pads from Express Heat Therapy—experience effective heat therapy with their heating pads range.
