5 Exercises For Neck Stiffness

If you’re already feeling a touch stiff, just wait—this is simply the start . As you age, your joints only become stiffer, and typically that goes hand-in-hand with bodily aches and pains. And there’s typically one thing behind the problem: not being active enough.
“Stiffness often occurs when we’re not exercising enough, therefore the best thanks to prevent stiffness is by being regularly active,” says Katie Sun Worrall, DPT, physiotherapist at Zion physiotherapy . “There’s tons of research that shows how sedentary behavior—aka sitting at work all day and not exercising—can cause variety of health problems: obesity, heart condition , and high vital sign , to call a couple of . Whether it’s walking, running, yoga, cycling, lifting weights, or another exercise of your choice, all of it's good for you and your health within the end of the day .”

To help you repel stiffness within the future, you’ve gotta start now. Here are Worrall’s top stretches to combat stiffness—particularly the type that happens within the spine, neck, and back, as they’re a number of the foremost common complaints.


A physical therapist’s top 5 stretches to fight stiffness as you age

1. CAT-COW

Start on hands and knees during a neutral spine. Inhale, drop the belly, widen the collarbones, open the chest, and arch the spine. confirm to stay the rear of the neck long (often people crunch the rear of the neck trying to seem up during this posture). Then exhale, draw the belly in, around the spine, push the ground away, and drop the top . this easy exercise of rounding and arching your back will help to enhance your spinal mobility and stop stiffness which will come from sitting at a desk all day.

2. UPPER TRAPEZIUS NECK STRETCH

Drop your right ear toward your right shoulder and place your right over your left ear. Gently apply a downward pressure together with your hand until you are feeling a stretch on the left side of your neck. confirm your left shoulder stays relaxed and dropped. Hold for 30 seconds and breathe. Repeat on the opposite side.

3. LEVATOR SCAPULAE STRETCH

Bring your nose toward your right armpit, and place your right on the rear of your head with fingertips pointing toward your neck. Gently apply a downward pressure together with your hand until you are feeling a stretch on the left side of your neck. Repeat on the opposite side. Hold for 30 seconds and breathe.

4. SIDE STRETCH

You can do that standing or sitting. Reach your right arm up overhead and start to lean your trunk over toward the left on an upward diagonal until you are feeling a side stretch on your right. Try to not collapse in your left waist as you are doing this. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side. This stretch will help to elongate your waist and improve spinal mobility.

5. SUPINE TWIST

Lie on your back and drop your knees to at least one side, turn your head to the opposite . Repeat other side. This exercise is functioning to enhance spinal mobility.

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