Whether you woke up with a tight, sore neck or experienced a severe injury, neck pain can be quite debilitating. Here our osteopath Marissa Mitchell shares 6 simple exercises you can do at home to help relieve your neck pain.
Neck pain is a common complaint we see at Whole Body Health and Wellness. It can present as general stiffness, intense discomfort or severe pain. It can also trigger a headache and/or radiating pain into the shoulder, back or arm. This pain and discomfort can be quite debilitating and impact our daily activities.
6 simple exercises for neck pain
If you are suffering from neck pain, a hands-on osteopath treatment or remedial massage can help bring some relief and ease the discomfort. Your osteopath can also work with you to support and strength the region so that your neck pain doesn’t worsen or dictate your lifestyle.
However, to manage your neck pain long term or for in the times you can’t book in to see your osteopath, there are several exercises you can do to reduce your discomfort and improve your mobility. They also work to build strengthen locally and globally in the body and may help to reduce the risk of injury. Here are 6 osteopath-approved exercises to get started with:
Stretching exercises for neck pain
The following three exercises are designed to help stretch the ligaments, muscles and tendons of your neck. These exercises can be done in the comforts of your own home or even during a day at your workplace. Try to practice these stretches daily to help manage your neck pain.
1. Chin tucks – repeat 10 to 15 times
2. Neck stretches – hold for 30 seconds
3. Pectoral stretch – hold for 30 seconds
Strengthening exercises for neck pain
The following three exercises are to help strengthen the neck and shoulder region. Done regularly, this can be key in the long-term management of your neck discomfort and work towards preventing it from reoccurring.
1. Shoulder blade squeeze – hold for 30 seconds
2. Shoulder blade wall push-up – hold for 30 seconds
3. Theraband rows – hold for 30 seconds (don’t have a theraband? Pop into our clinic and we can organise one for you at the right tension for your complaint.
Neck Pain Resources
