If you are feeling pain in your neck for no apparent reason, as a sports recovery therapist based in Hong Kong, I’ve got a few go-to stretches to help you sort it out before it could lead to something more lasting and serious, like chronic headaches or migraines.
Most of us experience very tight neck muscles due to our everyday habits and working positions. For example, when we’re slouched over our computers or looking down at our phones, most of us tilt the head forward, making the neck muscles do all the work to support the head. Our head weighs around 8 lbs, so that’s quite a heavy load!
What’s more, when you’re not holding your spine tall, you are actually increasing the load on your neck depending on how slouched you are:
Here are some easy stretches you can do to prevent neck pains (and headaches). Find time to take breaks during work and do these everyday for instant relief!
I have suggested some great stretches for releasing a tight hip, if you have time, do that too!
Quick Summary: How to Get Rid of Neck Pain – Best Relief Stretches
- Lateral Neck Stretches
- Rotation Side To Side Stretches
- Posterior Stretch
- Posterior Neck Stretch
- SCM Stretch
- Towel Vertebrae Lengthening
- Chest Stretch
Who Will Need These?
- Office workers
- Someone who has had trauma to shoulder, neck or head
- Someone who experienced whiplash
- People with osteoporosis
- People with scoliosis
- People with chronic headaches / migraines
- People with neck pain
How to Get Rid of Neck Pain – Best Relief Stretches (Lucia’s Formula)
What is Stretching?
Stretching is when you extend a muscle to its natural length. When we are seated for a long time, our joints are bent and our muscles shorten, causing us to experience all sorts of pain in our body. The lengthening of our muscles creates a balance to our body making us pain-free.
One of the best ways to prevent pain is exercise, so you may consider doing some exercise at home with some small equipment and perhaps, a TRX.
I have written an article that suggested some great products for neck pain relief, go and check it out! there are articles regarding shoulder pain, knee pain, and elbow pain too.
Best Stretch for Side of Your Neck: Lateral Neck Stretches
This stretches the side of your neck. This muscle overworks to hold your head back whenever you tilt your head forward becoming extremely tight and leading to those side headaches.
How to do it:
- Gently bend your neck as if reaching your left ear to your left shoulder.
- Stop when a stretch is felt in the right side of your neck.
- Hold position for 20 seconds.
- Return to neutral head position.
- Repeat above stretch four more times.
- Gently bend your neck as if reaching your right ear to your right shoulder.
- Stop when a stretch is felt in the left side of your neck.
- Hold position for 20 seconds.
- Return to starting position.
- Repeat above stretch four more times.
Suggested: 10 times each side
Equipment: none
Why I like this: it stretches the side of the neck where it carries most weight from
The head being pushed forward and by doing this stretch it gives instant release
Tips: Bring opposite shoulder downwards to increase the stretch
Best Stretch to Keep Your Neck Soft and Supple: Rotation Side to Side
Your neck is a very flexible muscle:it can stretch in different directions, which means you should rotate it often to keep the muscles soft and supple. Without movement, your muscles will harden like a door hinge that hasn’t been moved for awhile. Make this movement a daily habit to keep your neck mobile and pain-free.
How to do it:
- Gently turn your head to the left, looking over your left shoulder.
- Stop when a stretch is felt in the right side of your neck.
- Hold position for 20 seconds.
- Return to starting position.
- Repeat above stretch four times.
- Gently turn your head to the right, looking over your right shoulder.
- Stop when a stretch is felt in the left side of your neck.
- Hold position for 20 seconds.
- Return to starting position.
- Repeat above stretch four more times.
Suggested: 8 times each side
Equipment: none
Why I like this: It’s easy and you can do it anywhere really quickly
Tip: If either rotation causes pain, stop and check it out with your health professional.
Best Stretch to Relax Neck and Shoulder: Posterior Stretch
Here’s a relaxing stretch for your neck and shoulders that can also help relieve headaches and drowsiness.
How to do it:
- Come into a Child’s Pose with your shins and forehead on the floor.
- Stay here for a few breaths, working on lengthening your spine as you relax your chest to your thighs.
- When you’re ready, interlace your hands behind you in a double fist. If you can, press the heels of your palms together to increase the stretch in your shoulders.
- Lift your hands as high as you can. Inhale to shift your weight forward and lift your hips off your heels.
- Come to rest on the top of your head and extend your hands as close to the floor in front of you as you can.
- Stay here for 10 seconds and then lower your hips back to your heels.
- Stay here for 10 seconds, and then lift your hips up again.
- Continue this cycle five or more times, then release and relax into Child’s Pose with your arms on either side of your legs.
Suggested: 6 cycles
Equipment:
Mat: Best to do this on the floor with the support of an exercise or yoga mat.
Why I like this: This is a great headache reliever and brings the blood to my head, giving me a boost of clarity
Tips: If kneeling is not comfortable then you can do it while standing in a wide leg position
Best Stretch for All Location: Posterior Neck Stretch
This stretch will release the back of your neck, which gets tired after we spend long hours in front of the computer screen. Take a break from work once in a while and do this!
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor in a cross-legged position or in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your right arm next to your right knee or along the right side of the chair.
- Place your left hand on the top of your head and slowly tilt your head to the left.
- Apply gentle pressure with your hand to increase the stretch. To feel a deeper stretch, you can hold onto your right knee or the seat of the chair.
- This stabilizes the torso and allows you to isolate the stretch on the side of your neck.
- Hold on this side for 30 seconds, then slowly lift your head up and repeat this stretch on the other side.
Suggested: 5x each side
Equipment: Mat
Why I like this: It’s a simple stretch you can do anywhere
Tip: Keep your back straight to get more of the stretch
Best Stretch for Strap-like Muscles Relaxation: SCM Stretch
The sternocleidomastoid stretch stretches the two long strap-like muscles on either side of the front of the neck.
How to do it:
- Place one hand on your shoulder
- Tilt your head back and to the side at a 45 degree angle away from the pressed shoulder
- Breath in for 10 seconds and release
- Repeat on the other side
Suggested: 5X each side
Equipment: none
Why I like this: You can do this stretch anywhere, anytime.
Tips: Keep pressing the opposite shoulder down to get a deeper stretch
Best Stretch to Prevent Slipped Disc: Vertebrae Lengthening with Towel
This stretch is especially good for people who have their head tilted forward a lot. This will help your spine lengthen and help the vertebrae return back to its neutral position to prevent slipped discs. You’ll feel relief almost instantly!
How to do it:
- Place towel behind your head, while holding onto its ends. Keep your back tall and straight
- Pull towel away from your head and use your head to resist the pull
- Use neck flexors to resist the pull
Suggested: 1 minute
Equipment: Mat and towel
Why I like this: This not only lengthens the cervical vertebrae, it also releases the tension in the back of the neck
Tip: Take deep breaths to increase the stretch
Best Stretch for Releasing Chest and Neck: Chest Stretch
Releasing your chest muscles will help to release the neck muscles too as they are connected. If your chest is tight and you find yourself often hunched forward (ie in front of a computer, or over your phone), you may not even be able to release your neck muscles or even feel it stretching. Therefore, standing up tall is the first thing you need to do before engaging in this stretch.
How to do it:
- Sit or stand up tall
- Clasp your hands behind your back
- Roll your shoulders back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
- Take deep breaths in to expand the chest to get a deeper stretch and exhale out slowly
Suggested: 1 minute
Equipment: none
Why I like this: This is the key to unlocking the neck for further stretching 🙂
How to Get Rid of Neck Pain – Best Relief Stretches: FAQs
How long does a stiff neck last?
Depending on how long your neck has been tightening up, a stiff neck can last two days to two weeks. Sleeping in a misaligned position or spending work hours hunched over the computer over an extended period of time can result in very tight neck muscles that could require physical therapy.
How should I sleep with neck pain?
Ensure that your pillow supports the arch of your neck. Whether you’re a side or back sleeper, your pillow and mattress should help your spine form a straight line down your neck and back. A hot compress can provide temporary relief.
What causes neck pain?
Neck pain can be caused by many things, from trauma (for example, whiplash from a car accident) to residual build up of tension due to poor posture and / or work positions.
Should I stretch my neck if it hurts?
Your neck pain is likely the first sign of tight neck, chest and arm muscles. In this article, I’ve outlined stretches you can follow for a quick release. Hot compress before doing the stretches will loosen up some of the muscles to make stretching easier. Be aware that you will feel the most pain during the morning when you wake up, as muscles tend to tighten while you sleep.
How do you release a pinched nerve in your neck?
A pinched nerve is a symptom of your spine being out of natural alignment. If you suspect you have a pinched nerve, make an appointment to see a physiotherapist or doctor, who will likely suggest an MRI before any treatment or physical manipulation.
How to Get Rid of Neck Pain – Best Relief Stretches: Final thoughts
There you have it: seven easy stretches you can do in less than 10 minutes, wherever you are. Be sure to include these into your daily habits to relieve neck pain. You can even use warm compress on the neck muscles before you do these stretches, or do them under a hot shower, to get the muscles to relax further.
To prevent neck pains in the future, a very important element is learning to maintain good posture, but I’ll leave that for another blog post.
Have you tried these stretches? Tell me how you find them by commenting below!