Exercise for Neck Pain

This article is for general information and understanding only. Please consult your physician for specific information and about proper exercise and precautions.

• Regular exercises to restore the strength of your back and a gradual return to everyday activities are important for your full recovery.

• Exercise 10 to 30 minutes a day 1 to 3 times a day during your early recovery

When you are performing the exercises, stop and contact your doctor or therapist if you notice:

• Dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, fainting, or disorientation

• Sudden pain shooting down your arm, or numbness or weakness in your arm or hand, or severe neck pain

• Exercises consistently producing a headache, which persists.

Note: No one with neck pain should perform exercises that require bending over right after getting up in the morning. At that time, the disks are more fluid-filled and more vulnerable to pressure from this movement.

Download Exercise Chart at end of article( Images included with each exercise for reference purpose)

For each neck exercise:

• Move smoothly and slowly, without sudden jerks. The key is precision and control.

• Keep your mouth and jaw relaxed. Keep lips together, teeth slightly apart, and let your tongue rest on the roof of your mouth.

• Gently hold your shoulders back and down so that they are relaxed while doing all exercises (see posture correction exercise, exercise 4)

• In movement exercises, try to move the same distance to each side. If one side is stiffer, move gently into the stiffness. Move to that direction a little more often.

• Expect some discomfort, but remember exercises should not cause severe pain.

NECK EXERCISES LYING DOWN

Lie down with a soft pillow under your neck, and with your knees bent up.

1) The chin nod neck exercises:

• Gently and slowly nod your head forward as if to say ‘yes’.

• Feel the muscles at the front of your neck.

• Stop the nodding action just before you feel the front muscles hardening.

• Hold the nod position for five seconds and then relax.

• Gently move your head back to the normal start position.

• Repeat up to10 times.

2) Head rotation neck exercises:

• Gently turn your head from one side to the other.

• Look where you are going.

• Progressively aim to turn your head far enough so your chin is in line with your shoulder and you can see the wall in line with your shoulder.

• Repeat 10 times to each side.

3) Shoulder blade exercises:

• This exercise will relax and ease any tension in the muscles on top of your shoulders. It will help to give you pain relief.

• Lie on your right side with your arm resting up on two pillows.

• Roll your left shoulder blade back and across your ribs towards the center of your back.

• Hold the position for 10 seconds.

• Repeat 5 times.

• Repeat lying on the left side for the right shoulder blade.

NECK PAIN EXERCISES WHILE SITTING

Exercise while sitting

4) Posture position exercise:

• Correct your posture regularly by gently straightening up your lower back and pelvis (sit tall).

• Now gently draw your shoulder blades back and down (women towards their bra clip).

• Gently tuck your chin in. Hold the position with ease for at least 10 seconds.

• This position will prevent and ease muscle pain and tension in your neck and shoulder muscles.

• Repeat the correction regularly, every half hour during the day.

• You can do this exercise at work, in the car, train or bus and sitting at home.

5) Neck retraction exercises:

• Sit in the correct postural position as shown in exercise 4 above.

• Gently draw your head back, sliding your chin back horizontally and keeping your nose pointing straight ahead.

• You should feel the retraction movement at the base of your neck and your neck should stay long.

• Repeat this 10 times every hour when sitting.

NECK MOVEMENT EXERCISES: Sit in the correct postural position as described in exercise 4. Repeat all exercises below 10 times to each side.

6) Rotation neck exercises:

• Gently turn your head from one side to the other.

• Look where you are going, progressively aim to see the wall in line with your shoulder.

• This exercise is similar to the one you did lay down.

• This time you do it sitting.

• Your neck should stay long.

• Repeat this 10 times every hour when sitting.

7) Side bending neck exercises:

• Gently tilt your head towards your shoulder and feel the gentle stretch in the muscles on the side of your neck.

• Perform the movement to both sides.

8) Bending and extension neck exercises:

• Gently bend your head towards your chest.

• Lead the movement with your chin.

• Moving the chin first, bring your head back to the upright position and gently roll it back to look up towards the ceiling.

• Leading with your chin, return your head to the upright position.

NECK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES (Exercises 9-11) should only be started later in your recovery. If unsure when to begin this, ask your treating health professional.

9) Neck strengthening exercises (isometric, no movement exercise):

• Sit in the correct postural position as described in exercise 4.

• Make sure your chin is relaxed and slightly down.

• Place your right hand on your right cheek.

• Gently try to turn your head into your fingers to look over your right shoulder but allow no movement.

• Hold the contraction for five seconds. Use 10% to 20% effort, no more!

• Repeat with the left hand on the left cheek.

• Do five repetitions of the holding exercise to each side.

Neck strengthening exercises with 4-point kneeling:

• Firstly, adopt the 4-point kneeling position.

• Begin by ensuring your knees are directly under your hips, and your hands under your shoulders.

• Your low back should be in a neutral position that is, with a natural arch.

• Gently draw your belly button to your spine (10% effort).

• Push gently through your shoulder blades, so that your upper back is level.

• Draw your shoulders gently away from your ears, or toward your hips.

• Lift your head up so that it is level with your shoulders, but maintaining a gentle chin tucked or nod position.

• Once you can hold the safe 4-point kneeling position, then proceed with the neck movement exercises as described below.

10) Neck bending and extension exercises in 4-point kneeling:

• Adopt the safe 4-point kneeling position.

• Slowly look up toward the ceiling as far as you can go.

• Hold for 5-10 seconds.

• Follow this by slowly bending your neck, leading the movement with a chin tuck or nodding action.

• Continue the neck bending movement as far as possible, aim for your chin to touch your chest.

• Throughout this movement, you should hold the neutral lower back and shoulder blade posture described above.

• Perform 5-10 repetitions.

11) Neck rotation exercises in 4-point kneeling:

• Adopt the safe 4-point kneeling position.

• Slowly rotate (turn your neck to one side).

• It is important to maintain the gentle chin tuck or ‘nod’ position throughout the movement. Also, make sure your head stays level with your body and does not dropdown.

• If you do this exercise correctly, you should be looking over your shoulder at the end of the movement.

• It helps to do this exercise side onto a mirror so that you can check your head position.

• Repeat to the other side. Perform 5-10 repetitions.

Back Stretching Exercises.pdf

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Back Pain Exercises.pdf

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