5 Effective Exercises for Neck Pain Relief
You’re probably desperate to find relief if you’ve been experiencing neck pain. Daily neck pain can be frustrating and exhausting, often affecting your work, fitness, and daily tasks. Our therapists will conduct a comprehensive neck pain assessment and then use exercises to aid with neck pain relief.
There are many ways that neck pain can be treated and potentially resolved. The best method of treatment is a combination of physiotherapy techniques and performing our recommended home exercises.
Our physiotherapists at Dynamic Balance Physiotherapy & Vestibular Rehab Clinic in Surrey can teach you neck pain exercises that you can perform at home and easily integrate into your daily routine. In addition, we will create a treatment plan that involves specific techniques to help reduce your pain.
Call us today to learn more and request an appointment!
Why Am I Experiencing Neck Pain?
Getting a proper neck pain assessment is vital to uncovering the likely cause of your condition. Some several conditions and injuries can cause neck pain to occur, including the following:
- Poor posture: Long periods of time spent slouching or hunched over can lead to forward head posture, which places unnecessary stress on the neck.
- Muscle strain: Stretching, sudden or repetitive stress-type injury of a tendon.
- Disc degeneration: A natural part of aging, spine degeneration typically resides in the neck joints.
- Bulging or herniated disc: Conditions that refer to a problem with the rubbery disc between the spinal bones.
- Arthritis: This condition is caused by inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain and stiffness. Arthritis typically worsens with age.
- Emotional stress: Stress, anxiety, and other forms of emotional distress can all be contributors to neck pain.
Exercises for Neck Pain
If you’ve been dealing with neck pain, these simple and easy exercises may help. Always check with our therapists for a neck pain assessment before attempting any of the following exercises to be sure they are right for you, and never push through or force any movement!
- Chin tucks (neck retraction): Chin tucks are a great exercise to improve neck and upper back joint mobility. Chin tucks work to realign your spine and stabilize your neck. Sit upright in your chair, looking straight ahead. Next, lean your chest and shoulders straight back as far as you can. Try to avoid tilting your head up or down. Hold this position for a second or two, then relax. Repeat 5-10 repetitions.
- Neck rotations: This exercise is a great way to move your joints and alleviate tension in your muscles safely.Turn your head to the right as far as you can comfortably while looking over your shoulder. You may feel the stretch along your neck’s opposite side (left).Hold for 2-3 seconds and repeat 5-10 repetitions.Repeat the stretch on your left side, feeling it along the right side of your neck.
- Neck Extension: Neck extension is a good exercise to restore motion limitations and prevent neck strain. Start by leaning your chest and shoulders straight back behind a chair. Next, slowly move your head backward as far as you’re able.Hold for 2-3 seconds, then return to your starting position.
- Slouch Overcorrect: This simple exercise focuses on training your body to recognize proper posture by helping you understand what it feels like to have your spine in the correct position. Sit in a chair and allow yourself to slouch fully. Relax for 2 to 3 seconds while staying in position. Then lift yourself upright as far as you can to accentuate the curve of your lower back as much as possible. Hold for 2 to 3 seconds. Finally, return to the fully relaxed position.
- Levator scapulae stretch: The levator scapulae muscle connects your shoulder blades to your neck. Stretching this muscle can ease tension and pain in the neck. Place your right hand behind your head for support. Slowly turn your head to the right at a 30-45-degree angle. Now gently lean your head down toward your right armpit, feeling a stretch along the left side of your neck. Hold for 10- 30 seconds, then relax. Repeat 3-5 times to both sides.
It’s important to always practice exercises in a safe and comfortable place, such as in a chair or on a bed. This helps to minimize the chance of falls and injuries.
How Physiotherapy Treatment Can Help
Our physiotherapists at Dynamic Balance Physiotherapy & Vestibular Rehab Clinic in Surrey can help you manage your neck pain and achieve a more comfortable life. We’ll conduct a neck pain assessment to identify where you feel your pain, any movement restrictions, and any potential contributing health factors.
The goal of treatment is to alleviate your pain and discomfort as much as possible. Techniques that are commonly used to treat neck pain include:
- Postural corrections: Improving posture can help reduce neck pain. We’ll teach you how to improve the problem if you’ve been struggling with poor posture. We will also provide recommendations for ergonomic modifications, such as adjusting workstations or using supportive pillows, to help reduce strain on the neck.
- Manual therapy: Manual therapy involves hands-on techniques your physiotherapist performs to manipulate and mobilize the neck and surrounding structures.
- Therapeutic massage: Therapeutic massage breaks muscle tension, relieves pain, and positively affects emotional distress.
- Joint mobilizations: Joint mobilization helps to decrease pain, improve range of motion, and increase function.
- Tailored Exercises: Our team will devise a personalized exercise program targeting your needs. These exercises are designed to gradually stretch your muscles and joints, improving your flexibility and overall range of motion.
- Strengthening exercises: If your physiotherapist finds any weak or injured muscles, they will teach you specific exercises to restore strength and agility. Strengthening or stabilization exercises are used to build strength and coordination of the upper back muscles and around your spine.
- Education: Knowledge is power. Our team will educate you about your body’s healing process, giving you the tools to understand and improve your recovery journey.
Learn to Manage Your Neck Pain Today
Neck pain can be debilitating. Our physiotherapists at Dynamic Balance Physiotherapy & Vestibular Rehab Clinic in Surrey will aim to reduce your symptoms to the best of our abilities and improve any restricted movements you may be experiencing.
Call our team today to learn more about our neck pain assessments and ways to improve your pain at home and in the clinic.