4 Best Stretches to Get Rid of Neck Tightness According to Harvard Medical School, "about 80 percent of persons have neck discomfort over their lives, with 20 percent to 50 percent dealing with it on a yearly basis." According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 20 percent of persons experience neck stiffness or discomfort at some point in their lives. Neck tightness and soreness might be caused by an odd sleeping position, straining your neck to look at your phone, overuse, or poor form during exercise. It's vital to understand the finest neck stretches and Cervical Pain Exercises for pain alleviation and neck stiffness. UPPER TRAP STRETCH ● ● ● ●
With proper posture, stand or sit tall. Place one hand on your lap Gently grip your head with the other hand. Slowly pull your head out toward your shoulder, away from the hand in your lap, with control. Apply pressure on your neck until you feel a mild stretch. ● This stretch can be held for up to 30 seconds. ● Rep on the other side.
Benefits The trapezius and scalene muscles in the neck are targeted by the upper trap stretch. What are the functions of these muscles? According to Healthline, your trap muscles are in charge of "shrugging and upwardly rotating your shoulder blade, supporting your arm, and extending your neck." You can move, bend, and extend your neck to the side thanks to the scalene muscles, which are made up of three muscles that function together. These muscles maintain your neck and cervical spine relaxed and upright when appropriately stretched.
LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH ● Shift your gaze to the left. ● With your elbow bent, reach up and place your left hand on the top of your head. ● Pull your head toward your shoulder gently. Make a diagonal movement with your head until you feel a gentle stretch. ● Maintain a flat opposite shoulder. ● Hold for up to 30 seconds on each side, then switch sides.
Benefits: This stretch focuses on the levator scapulae, which is one of the greatest stretches for neck tension. Above the shoulder blades, behind the neck, are the levator scapulae. We can bend our necks, turn our heads, tilt our heads backward, and elevate our shoulders using these muscles. The levator scapulae muscles elevate the scapula, assisting in cervical spine stability. STERNOCLEIDOMASTOID STRETCH ● Turn your head to the left as far as you can. ● Tilt your head back and reach for your shoulder from there. ● Tilt your head till you feel a mild stretch in your sternocleidomastoid muscle on the side of your neck. ● Hold for up to 30 seconds on each side, then switch sides.
Benefits:
Because the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle is involved in almost all neck movement, stretching it can assist reduce neck tension. In addition, the SCM maintains your head stabilized. This is critical for keeping proper posture and avoiding neck tension.
BOW AND ARROW STRETCH ● ● ● ● ●
Begin by sitting tall and with proper posture. Extend your left arm as far as possible. Draw your right elbow up as if firing a bow and arrow with your left arm fully extended. Bring your shoulder blades together for a thorough stretch. This stretch can be held for up to 10 seconds. Rep on the other side.
Benefits: The shoulders, upper back muscles, upper lumbar spine, lower cervical spine, and thoracic spine are all targeted by the bow and arrow stretch. It promotes total spine mobility and helps relieve neck tension when done on a regular basis. It's a low-impact, non-weighted workout that's ideal for healing from a strain or injury.