Neck Strengthening exercises

If you suffer from neck pain, you also need to include neck strengthening exercises. The scalene and suboccipital muscles are most effectively stretched in conjunction with strengthening of the weakened postural muscles, including the upper thoracic extensors and the deep cervical flexors. The following neck strengthening exercises can help relieve neck pain: CHIN TUCK:

One of the most effective exercises for treating neck pain is the chin tuck exercise. It not helps to pull the head back into alignment over the shoulders (upper thoracic extensors) but it also stretches the scalene and suboccipital muscles. To perform the exercise for the first time it is often recommended that you stand with the spine up against a wall and the feet out about 3 inches from the bottom of the wall (figure 1). . Keeping the spine against the wall, pull the upper back and head back until the back of the head touches the wall . It is important to make sure that the chin is down so that the head is pulled straight back and is not looking up (Figure 2). . Hold the head against the wall for 5 seconds. . Repeat this ten times. After performing this exercise about ten times, start doing the exercise in standing or sitting without a wall. The exercise can be done 5 to 7 times per day.

When in the car, use the headrest as a point to aim for when pulling the head back. You may feel some stretching of the muscles on the side of the neck that go down to the collarbone. These are the scalene muscles. These muscles along with the muscles at the top of the neck at the base of the skull are generally the tight muscles. The muscles in the front of the neck and muscles of the upper back are generally the weak muscles that need to be strengthened. (source Spine-health.com) Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Better Aging http://www.gaiaadventures.com 604 329.1257