Though massage is one way to alleviate neck and shoulder tension, there are other exercises you can perform at home to loosen tight muscles in your body. In this episode of Good Moves, Chloe De Winter of Go with Chloe De Winter will demonstrate simple stretches that use bodyweight leverage to ease tension in neck and shoulders.
1. Neck Rolls
Neck stretches can help relieve neck tension caused by poor posture. In this 13-minute Good Moves video from Pilates instructor Chloe De Winter of Go with Chloe De Winter she provides slow stretches and bodyweight-leveraging moves you can incorporate into your daily routine to relieve neck pain and enhance posture.
Begin by sitting or standing tall with an upright posture. Allow your left hand to dangle down by your side while your right rests lightly on top of your head just above your left ear. Gently lower your head until a stretch on the right side of your neck is felt and hold for 20 to 30 seconds before returning back up into starting position and repeat on left side.
Tilting your head from side to side is another variation on this exercise, starting with looking down at your chin before slowly sliding it towards your chest until you feel the stretch on both sides of your neck. Repeat for 10 repetitions each side.
Rotating your neck is a final move to add to your routine; this should ideally be performed while sitting in a chair but can also be completed while moving your head forward and backward. When performing these movements, ensure they do not go beyond what feels comfortable as pushing too hard could lead to injury.
Tight shoulders can lead to neck tension, so stretching and exercising the deltoids on a regular basis is vital. One easy way is with a foam roller: stand with feet shoulder-width apart about 6 to 10 inches from a wall with hands at your sides; thread your right arm under your left until its shoulder rests against the wall for several seconds and hold. Finally move arm up and down along shoulder blades as your arm moves in all directions.
2. Shoulder Rolls
This neck and shoulder exercise helps relieve tension while strengthening muscles in your shoulders and chest. Furthermore, it promotes good posture by decreasing slouching which contributes to neck pain.
To perform this exercise, sit or stand up straight with shoulder blades pressed together, squeezing gently then rolling them backward and forward 10 times in a circular movement.
If any discomfort arises during this movement, stop immediately and try again later. As this exercise doesn’t require equipment, it can be performed anywhere; even at work if you feel like sitting instead of standing up during breaks! Regular practice of this movement will increase shoulder flexibility while strengthening neck, chest, and upper back muscles.
As well as maintaining good posture while sitting or standing, regular stretching and keeping good posture while you sit or stand can prevent muscles in your neck and shoulders from tightening up in the first place. Therefore, it’s essential to take regular breaks from desk or computer work and stretch neck and shoulders for several minutes at least throughout the day in order to reduce stiffness or tension in these areas.
An effective exercise to keep your neck and shoulders healthy is the simple head tilt. While sitting, slowly lower your chin toward your chest and hold for 30 seconds before rotating your head to one side before returning back to original position – repeat five times on each side. This stretch can help alleviate tightness in muscles on one side of your neck while simultaneously identifying which side may need strengthening more than another.
3. Shoulder Stretches
The shoulder joint is one of the most mobile in your body, making it particularly vulnerable to injury. Stretches such as these four exercises are an effective way to keep it limber; whether part of an everyday warm-up/cool-down regimen, or as stand-ins to relieve tension.
This stretch targets the anterior deltoid muscle of your shoulder and also helps relieve tightness from sitting at a desk all day. While standing with arms by your sides and maintaining good posture, slowly roll shoulders up, out, and down several times on either side before switching sides for repetitions on each.
Pendulum Swing Exercise can also provide an effective shoulder stretch while standing, but requires more concentration to complete successfully. Start with arms by your sides and move shoulder blades up, out, and down in an arc; try not to move more than several centimeters either way and keep head facing forward for optimal results.
Wall walks can help increase shoulder range of motion and flexibility by stretching rotator cuff muscles without pinching. They are especially helpful to those involved with sports that involve frequent overhead reaching, as well as those whose jobs require them. While holding your arm straight at chest height and shifting your weight back so it faces away from the wall, slowly move hands up until they reach maximum reachable height before returning back down until starting position is reached.
4. Back Stretches
At times, exercise may not be enough to alleviate back pain; stretching can provide temporary relief while decreasing its recurrence risk. Back stretches can be done while sitting, standing, or lying down; just make sure they fit within your comfort level – they should never hurt!
While sitting upright, stretch your shoulders by pulling them toward your ears as your upper back rounds and your torso remains upright. Hold this position for several seconds before slowly lowering arms back down toward their starting points and repeat this exercise several times to feel tension release in your shoulder muscles.
To stretch your spine, lie flat on your stomach with straight legs relaxed. Place arms near the body, bent elbows near ribs, hands just in front of shoulders; press into surface to lift chest upwards for two or three seconds while pressuring into surface – this provides an effective neck and shoulder stretch while relieving downward pressure off cervical spine while lengthening muscles in area.
This stretch can strengthen both your neck and lower back by relieving tightness in the muscles of your upper torso. You can perform it while sitting, standing or in a chair; do it as many times per day as desired!
While standing, gently move your head side to side and backward. Repeat this stretch as often as possible, rotating to the right and left as much as possible. Sit comfortably behind your chair while reaching an arm behind your head as though reaching for the ceiling.
5. Yoga
Yoga can help strengthen and balance the muscles in your neck and shoulders. Due to prolonged desk sitting, these muscles can become overstretched and overextended; leading to “tech neck.” For optimal results, use stretching exercises that target these muscle groups while lengthening tight ones while strengthening weak ones.
The shoulder joint is a mobile ball-and-socket joint, susceptible to injury without proper stretching and strengthening exercises. Studies have proven that yoga is an effective treatment for shoulder pain; specific poses help strengthen rotator cuff tendons as well as relax tight tendons in this region, relieving tension.
Yin Yoga poses are particularly beneficial to neck and shoulder muscles. You can practice them while sitting or lying down, with one of the main causes of neck and shoulder discomfort being tight trapezius muscles – these poses work to loosen this muscle with ease.
One of the most effective Yin Yoga neck stretches is gently shifting your head toward your right shoulder while keeping your spine straight. Hold this pose for several breaths and observe any differences between the left and right sides of your neck.
An effective Yin Yoga neck stretch involves interlocking your hands behind your back if possible; otherwise, place thumbs in palm of hand before bending elbows until your backs are parallel to ground and holding this position for several breaths – you should feel any tension release from shoulders and neck!