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Improve Neck Mobility and Stiffness Within Seconds

11/9/2014

20 Comments

 
We have all been there... the debilitating stiff neck that occurs after:
  • Waking up in the morning and somehow in the middle of the night you "tweaked" your neck.
  • Long hours sitting cramming for finals or finishing a big project in front of the computer.
  • An intense workout of pull ups, lifting overhead, etc.
  • Not so roomy airplane seats and carrying luggage around the airport.

In times like these you feel that you are never going to be able to turn your head without pain again..... Until now.  Here  is a quick trick to get more rotation motion in your neck.  

  • Assess your neck motion, rotate your head to the right and to the left.  Find a landmark in your field of vision at the end range to mark your initial motion.  Also notice the quality of motion: is it painful and tight? where do you feel the pulling?:
Improve neck mobility
Assessing neck range of motion
Neck mobility

  • Cross your arms out in front of you like "I dream of Genie".  To gain right rotation at shown in this example, you are going to rotate your trunk to the left.  Make sure to keep your head and eye gaze facing forward.  Keep your pelvis steady as you rotate your trunk to the left 10-15 times.
Treatment for neck pain
Treatment for neck stiffness

  • Now reassess your motion.  Rotate your head to the right and notice if you gained more motion.  Notice if it feels differently than before.  99.9 % of the time you will gain more motion and it will feel better.  Repeat this process for left neck rotation by moving your trunk to the right.
Treatment for neck pain
Treatment for neck stiffness
This is a simple and effective strategy to improve neck range of motion within seconds.  Whether you are in pain, or just have a stiff neck, use this exercise often for ongoing benefit!
Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist who specializes in the management of pelvic floor and orthopedic dysfunctions. She is the owner of ALIGN integration|movement in Salt Lake City, UT.  Helpful tips and other self care strategies can be found at www.alignintegrationandmovement.com.
20 Comments
Jenni link
11/9/2014 01:26:17 pm

Thanks so much, Susan! You always have such helpful tips for all of us. I can't wait for your next post!

Reply
Susan
11/9/2014 11:01:47 pm

Thank you Jenni for the positive feedback; I really appreciate it! Susan

Reply
Annette link
11/10/2014 01:43:16 am

Excellent! Instantly helped my headache too!

Reply
Dorine
11/10/2014 03:22:50 am

Tried this while I also had some stiffness in lower back as well. Next to improved neck mobility....my lower back stiffness was 90% resolved as well! Thanks!! :-)

Reply
Susan
11/12/2014 01:57:18 am

Dorine, wow! thanks for sharing! Susan

Reply
Sue
11/12/2014 01:50:50 am

Wow! This is great. Thank you so much, Susan.

Reply
Sharon
11/12/2014 06:47:12 am

Not sure I got greater range of motion but it felt better to turn my head. Also noticed my lats must be glued to my rib cage! They groaned and even spasmed. Guess I have reveal a place to apply my new Yoga Tune Up balls and get busy with Katy Bowman's C shaped on the floor stretch. I think I'm breathing better as I type this. Keep those suggestions coming!

Reply
Susan
11/12/2014 06:54:03 am

Sharon,

Excellent, getting the balls into play will be a fantastic way to release those lats! Susan

Reply
zachary
11/29/2014 09:01:02 am

Thanks Susan. I enjoyed your insights into posture and SI dysfunction.

keep up the good work,

Zac, PT

Reply
Vincent Farell link
11/30/2014 05:10:55 pm

My sister always find this problem really annoying. She always feel pain on the neck and upper backupon waking up. I already advised her to sought the help of a Physical Therapist for this, but she prefers to have other forms of alternative first. I think this one is a good recommendation for her. Thanks for the share.

Reply
Susan
11/30/2014 11:18:21 pm

Vincent,
Thank you for reading, and thank you for sharing with your sister! Susan

Reply
Vincent Farell link
12/1/2014 12:00:11 pm

Right on Susan! Hope you could make something about knee problems. Looking forward to it

Justine
1/22/2015 04:15:22 am

Another simple and effective exercise from you! You have some beautiful moves.

Reply
Susan
1/22/2015 04:53:23 am

Justine,

Thank you!! Susan

Reply
Rachel Rothenberg
12/17/2015 06:39:24 pm

Amazing and super helpful! Thank you

Reply
luciana
2/2/2017 11:23:57 pm

Thank you Susan

Reply
Deb
6/20/2017 06:40:57 am

I use it a lot. Any other tips for?

Reply
Susan
6/20/2017 07:57:29 am

Hi Deb,

If you search through the category here of neck and upper extremity you may find something helpful for you.
http://www.alignforhealth.com/blog/category/neck%20and%20upper%20extremity

Best, susan

Reply
Virginia
2/16/2018 04:51:03 pm

Hi Susan, this stretch is fantastic and I teach it to my students. Could you please tell me WHY this stretch works? I know it has a somatic element to it, is that why? Thanks, Virginia

Reply
Susan
2/17/2018 07:41:28 am

Hi Virginia,

This stretch works because when we look forward and take the arms to rotate the ribcage to the right, this creates left rotation in the neck without the head needing to move. The brain doesn't detect "danger" as it might with the head moving, so rotation is driven by the trunk motion and the neck muscles can release a bit.

Thanks for reading the blog! Susan

Reply



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