Exercises for Neck

If we talk about exercise, the neck is a part of our body that many times we ignore. Just paying attention when we notice some discomfort or feel a contraction.

Although in many sports is not vital to have a strong neck in everyday life activities, these muscles along with the head need to be strong enough to avoid discomfort cervical contractures and other problems. Too many hours in front of the computer, writing in an incorrect posture, sleeping in an awkward position … are some of the activities responsible for the daily pain or cervical collar. All this is related to muscle tension.

Well, the idea is to help you in fit that you can suffer no inconvenience to your exercise routine the rest of the body.

These exercises serve both to elongate and stretch our neck, to strengthen it. Strengthening exercises of your neck will improve posture, as a strong neck can hold your head.

The goal is to exercise the muscles without moving the neck. To achieve this, we must resist using our hands.

There are three types of exercises you can do. They are very practical because you can make them at work as at home or in the gym, of course.

You must do 10 minutes sessions once or twice a week, with 2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.

Warning: It is very probable that at first, you feel pain when performing these exercises, this is normal, and gradually you are going to feel relief and achievements without feeling anything.

Exercises to strengthen

Frontal flexion 

1. Sit upright with your head and press your hands on your forehead while you force the head to take it forward.
2. Start with the front toward the ceiling and move  your head until it is nearly horizontal facing down.

Lateral flexion

1. Supporting hand to the temple, try to bring the head toward the shoulder to offer resistance to the arm.
2. The movement must go from vertical to the ear almost pointing toward the ceiling.
3. Do not forget to do the same to the opposite shoulder.

Bending back 

1. Put both hands on the top of the neck and press ahead with the arms while moving the head back.
2. You're going to tone the muscles of the cervical area.
3. Exercises to strengthen the neck muscles not only contribute to the stretch of this part of your body, but also through the relaxation, can help relieve tension and stress. Then we can talk of a gym session ideal for the neck to get rid of the cervical muscular contraction.

Exercises to stretch

Place your right hand in the left ear from your arm above you head and shoulders holding firm. Foster's head to the right, never upwards. Keep half a minute and repeat with the opposite side.
De-foot and back to the wall with heels waist and stuck to your back, exhale as close as possible to the wall the back of the neck.

How can I avoid postural pain?

• The neck should be kept along the same back. For this reason, the pillow should be fine to not cause excessive bending of the neck upward. Not using pillow can cause hyperextension which is also harmful to the cervical vertebrae.
• Avoid sleeping face down: This position causes a change to the normal curvature of the spine and the neck rotated requires being able to breathe.
• Change position very often. It is not ideal but it can be controlled to sleep, but it must be addressed using a firm mattress and straight but soft enough to adapt to the natural curves of the spine when several positions.
• Use relaxation techniques and regular exercise to prevent unwanted stress and tension in the muscles of the neck.
• Learn stretching exercises for the neck and upper body. Stretching is recommended every day, especially before and after exercise. A physiotherapist can be very helpful in this regard.
• If the person tends to suffer from neck pain by exercise, apply ice to the neck after physical activity.
• Be sure to take a good position, especially when sitting at a desk most of the day, while maintaining support on the back. The computer monitor should be set at eye level, thus eliminating the need to continually look up or down.
• If the person works with a computer, should stretch the neck every hour or so.
• Use a set of headphones while on the phone, especially if the act of responding or using this device is part of the job.
• Assess the conditions of sleep. Make sure the pillow provide appropriate support and comfort for the neck and head, and is likely to require a special pillow. It is advisable to check that the mattress is firm enough.

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