Try These Simple Exercises for Neck Pain Relief

Mar 13, 2024

If you're dealing with neck pain, you’re not alone. This issue affects about 20-70 percent of adults in their lifetime, so it's crucial to address it promptly. Ignoring the problem and continuing as usual could exacerbate it. So, what can be done to alleviate this discomfort?

Read on to learn how to do these simple neck mobility and isometric exercises to relieve pain and tightness. They will enhance your neck's strength, flexibility, range of motion, and overall comfort, making your movements more fluid and pain-free.

1. Chin Tuck

Purpose: Improve neck range of motion and stretch deep neck muscles. How to do it: Put index and second finger on the chin and guide chin down & head back. Hold for a second and return. Do 5 repetitions. Progression: Increase to 10 repetitions & hold for 5, 10, 15, 20 seconds.

2. Side-Side Neck Rotation

Purpose: Improve neck range of motion through dynamic stretching. How to do it: Rotate head to one side slowly to light resistance. Hold end position for a second and return. Turn to the other side. Do 5 repetitions each side. Progression: Increase to 10 repetitions & hold for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 seconds.

3. Neck Side Bending

Purpose: Improve neck range of motion through dynamic stretching. How to do it: Drop head to one side slowly to light resistance. Hold end position for a second and return. Do 5 repetitions. Progression: Increase to 10 repetitions & hold for 5, 10, 15, 20 seconds.

4. Neck Flexion and Extension

Purpose: Improve neck range of motion through dynamic stretching. How to do it: Drop head forward to light resistance, hold for a second and then move head backwards. Repeat five times. Progression: Increase to 10 repetitions & hold for 5, 10, 15, 20 seconds.

5. Seated Thoracic Rotation

Purpose: To improve mid-back movement, helping the neck stabilizers. How to do it: Start in sitting position arms across your shoulders. Rotate through your mid-back to resistance. Hold momentarily, then rotate to other side. Do 5 repetitions. Progression: Progress to 10 reps and 2-3 sets.

6. Seated Thoracic Rotation w/Side Bend

Purpose: To improve mid-back movement, helping the neck stabilizers. How to do it: Rotate through mid back to where you feel resistance. Then bend to the side. Hold for a second and do same for other side. Do 5 reps. Progression: progress to 10 reps of 2-3 sets.

7. Upper Body 45 Degrees w/Neck Rotation

Purpose: To improve the activation, endurance and strength of the deep stabilizing neck muscles. How to do it: Squat by bending at the knees to a 45 degree body angle. Do a chin tuck & rotate head to 1 side until light resistance. Do 5 repetitions Progression: increase to 10 reps. Increase the hold of the end position from one-second to 5-10 seconds.

8. Upper Body 45 Degrees w/Neck Extension

Purpose: To improve the activation, endurance and strength of the deep stabilizing neck muscles. How to do it: Squat by bending at the knees to a 45 degree body angle. Do a chin tuck & move your head backwards until light resistance. Hold position for a second and return to start. Do 5 repetitions. Progression: increase to 10 reps. Hold of the end position from one-second to 5-10 seconds.

9. Upper Body 45 Degr. w/Neck Side Flexion

Purpose: To improve the activation, endurance and strength of the deep stabilizing neck muscles. How to do it: Squat by bending at the knees to a 45 degree body angle. Do a chin tuck & move your head to one side until light resistance. Hold position for a second and return to start. Do 5 repetitions. Progression: increase to 10 reps. Increase the hold of the end position from one-second to 5-10 seconds.

10. Isometric Neck Flexion

Purpose: To improve the activation, endurance and strength of the deep stabilizing neck muscles. How to do it: Perform a chin tuck, press head forward into fingers while resisting movement. Do not move head and work at 10% of maximal strength level. Hold 5 seconds and relax. Do 5 repetitions daily. Progression: Go to 10 reps. Increase hold of end position to 5-10 seconds. Increase resistance lightly over time.

11. Isometric Neck Side Flexion

Purpose: To improve the activation, endurance and strength of the stabilizing neck muscles. How to do it: Press your head into your fingers (side flexion) while the fingers resist head movement. The neck muscles should be working at 10% of maximal strength. Hold for 5 seconds , then relax. Perform 5 repetitions daily. Progression: Increase to 10 reps. Increase the hold of the end position to 5 or10 seconds. Increase resistance lightly over time.

12. Isometric Neck Extension

Purpose: To improve the activation, endurance and strength of the stabilizing neck muscles. How to do it: Allow fingers to rest on the back of your head and press head backwards while fingers resist head movement. Do not move the head. Neck muscles should be working at 10% of maximal strength level. Hold for 5 seconds, relax. Do 5 repetitions daily. Progression: Increase to 10 reps. Increase the hold of the end position to 5 or10 seconds. Increase resistance lightly over time.

13. Isometric Neck Rotation

Purpose: To improve the activation, endurance and strength of the stabilizing neck muscles. How to do it: Allow fingers to rest on each side of your head. Push your head to one side and press into your fingers while resisting the movement of the head. Neck muscles should be working at 10% of maximal strength level. Hold for 5 seconds, relax. Do 5 repetitions daily. Progression: Increase to 10 reps. Increase the hold of the end position to 5 or 10 seconds. Increase resistance over time.

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