Exercises can help alleviate neck pain and increase strength, mobility, and joint function. But not all exercises are created equal, so you need to be careful which ones you do.
For example, any exercise that involves a lot of jumping should be avoided – like skipping rope or running. Jumping and jogging can put unnecessary strain on the part of your neck that is causing you pain.
Stretching
Stretching is a gentle, self-care practice that can relieve stiffness and improve mobility in the muscles, joints, and tendons of your body. It’s also a good way to pinpoint imbalances in flexibility and identify areas of tightness that could lead to injury, says Ford.
Generally, stretching involves moving your body in a smooth movement with no bouncing. Unless recommended by your doctor, don’t perform ballistic stretching, which looks like bouncing in and out of positions to try to stretch past normal range of motion.
Dynamic stretches, on the other hand, use your muscles and tendons to move through a larger range of motion than is typically possible through natural ranges of motion, physical therapist Cydni Matsuoka tells SELF. Often dynamic stretches are done before exercise to prepare your muscles, tendons and ligaments for movement.
Strengthening
The neck or cervical spine consists of seven bony vertebrae supported by muscles and ligaments. It’s a delicate structure that can easily be affected by injury.
Usually, neck pain is the result of strains or sprains to one or more of the structures that make up this complex body part. But it can also be the result of poor posture, which puts extra stress on the facet joints and intervertebral discs in your cervical spine.
Strengthening exercises strengthen these muscles, taking pressure off the nerves and spinal cord and the soft tissues that support the neck. This helps to decrease pain and improve quality of life.
Generally, strengthening is an exercise that uses isometric contractions, meaning you contract the muscle without movement. In this case, the isometric contractions create a tightness that helps to take tension off your neck muscles.
Stabilization
The neck–also called the cervical spine–is an important part of the body because it helps support your head. In addition, it contains nerves that send signals to your arms and legs. If the nerves in your neck become irritated, they can cause pain in those areas of your body.
A number of problems can cause neck pain, including muscle strains (sudden tightening and spasm of the muscles in the neck), worn or herniated disks, and injuries from rear-end collisions. When these conditions are left untreated, they can lead to weakness or numbness in your arms and legs.
Physical therapy is often used to help patients manage their neck pain. During physical therapy, patients work with an experienced therapist to perform exercises that help them stabilize their neck. This will relieve pressure on the spinal cord and muscles that are causing the pain and make it easier for the body to heal.
Massage
Massage is one of the best alternative therapies to treat neck stiffness and pain. It also reduces muscle tension and improves posture.
It is a great way to relieve someone’s neck and shoulder pain, improve blood circulation, ease headaches, increase energy, and give a person a good night’s sleep.
When done correctly, massage can provide short-term and long-term relief from neck pain. However, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of massage for chronic neck pain and stiffness.
Massage is a noninvasive form of therapy that activates the body’s natural relaxation response to relax muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It stimulates blood flow and moves waste products to the surface of the skin, says Loncar. It can also help you develop a connection between your mind and body. If you’re interested in getting personalized workout, sign up for personal training at The VIP Fitness, and let us help you achieve your fitness goals!
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