Stretching Your Neck
There can be days when you get up on the wrong side of the bed or slept in a awkward position or you must have sat and stared intensely at your PC for long hours. Oh Boy! A crick on your neck is simply not only painful but even annoying. It can lead to various ill-health like upper back pain, headaches, etc.
Exercising To Drive Away Your Neck Pain
If you really want drive away those pains and aches, then go ahead try these simple and easy stretches.
Corner Stretch
Stand about two feet from the corner of a room. Make sure you are facing in and your feet are together. Now you need to place your forearms right on the walls of the either side corner. The palms must be facing the wall and your elbow needs to be right about the shoulder height. Then you need to slowly lean gently, until you feel like you are stretching.
Just stay in this position for about thirty seconds and repeat this for about 3 to 4 times. Frankly, this is a great stretch for your upper back and chest. You can even modify and skip it if you have history of rotator cuff problem or shoulder dislocation.
Seated Neck Release
If you are looking for a gentle stretch which easily targets the sides of your neck, then you need to try the seated neck release. Here, first you must sit on the floor, that too in a cross-leg position or you can even use a chair making sure that your feet are placed flat on the ground.
Next you need to extend your right arm towards your right knee or just along the right side of the chair. Then you need to place the left hand on your head (top of the head) and slowly tilt the head to left. You can apply a little pressure using your hands, so that you can increase the stretch. If you want to feel a deeper stretch, then you must hold on to the right knee or the chair’s seat. With this exercise, you can stabilize your torso and the stretch can be isolated to the side of the neck. Make sure to hold on to this for about 30 seconds and then lift your head up slowly. Repeat the same stretch from other side.
Chicken Wing
For this exercise, you need to stand with your feet hip-distance apart and keep your arms at the sides. Then you must try to reach your both hands behind the back and try to hold on the left wrist using your right hand. Slowly use your right hand to gently pull the left arm to your right lower back.
For increasing the stretch in the neck, you need to slowly lower your right ear to the shoulder. Make sure that you stay in this position for about thirty seconds and then you need to switch sides.
Behind the Back Neck Stretch
This is the best stretch which can be easily done anywhere and anytime. Also, this provides you with a deep stretch, especially right around the sides of your neck. Now first thing you need to do is stand and make sure your feet is hip distance apart, and the arms must be to your sides. Then you need to reach out both your hands from the back and hold your left wrist using your right hand.
Now you must use your right hand to move gently the left arm and then you need to pull it away from you. For increasing the stretch of your neck, you need to slowly lower the right ear to your shoulder. Now stay in this position for about 30 seconds and then you can switch sides.
Final Verdict
No doubt stretching your neck can help in easing the tendons of your bones and neck muscles. But keep in mind that sometimes stretching can even aggravate your condition. So, there is no harm in following the exercises given above but consult your physician before trying them if you have a pre existing neck issue.
