Neck Stretches

The shoulders and the neck is an area of the body that often carries tension due to the way we sit, our daily work activities like sitting in front of a computer, the way we sleep, muscle imbalances and more reasons related to how we interact with our environment.

Daily stretching of the neck and shoulders can help to alleviate tension build up and it can also enhance your posture as it helps to align the neck and the shoulders.

Set yourself up as in the photo below;

• Stand tall with your knees soft
• The tailbone lengthened
• Head, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles are aligned
• Abdominals activated
• Collar bones long
• Shoulder blades lengthened down the back

• Stretch your ear towards your left shoulder
• Do not hike up the shoulder to meet the ear
• You should feel the stretch on the right side of your neck
• Keep your right arm lengthened down to the floor
• Repeat on the other side

• Then you take your left hand and place it on the right side of your head.
• Apply pressure; at the same time press your head back into your hand so that you get a two- way stretch
• Hold this for a few seconds until you feel the tension release
• Repeat on the other side
• See pictures below

These exercises are simple to do. Doing them a few times a day will help you manage neck tension better. Remember to breathe deeply when you stretch to enhance the relaxation of the muscles