Table of Contents:
Top 5 Neck Pain Relief Stretches Ask Doctor Jo
Video taken from the channel: AskDoctorJo
Neck Pain and Shoulder Pain Stretch routine.
Video taken from the channel: Caroline Jordan
Release Tight Neck! Levator Scapulae Stretch
Video taken from the channel: Back Intelligence
Easy At-Work Stretches for Neck Pain and Back Pain
Video taken from the channel: UC San Diego Health
The One Stretch That Can Stop Your Neck, Upper Back, & Shoulder Pain
Video taken from the channel: Bob & Brad
Physio Upper Back Stretch & Relieve Desk Break Routine
Video taken from the channel: Michelle Kenway
Deskercise Neck and Shoulder Stretches
Video taken from the channel: Mayo Clinic
Reach the left arm down and away from the body as you drop the head to the right, stretching the neck. Place the right hand on the head and gently press your head into the hand, then release and stretch. Continue to contract the neck and press the head into the head, then stretch for 10 reps then switch sides.Vertical Wrist and Shoulder Stretch | 3 breaths (1 rep) In the same seated position, interlock your fingers again, flip the palms outward, and press your arms straight up above your head.
Arch your back just slightly and reach up to lengthen your spine. Hold for three deep breaths, stretching a.How to Do It: Sit upright with your spine straight, chest open, shoulders relaxed, and neck centered in a neutral position. Slowly turn your head to the right side until your chin is over the.How to do it: – Lie on your back, with your hands placed behind your head, and a foam roller placed under your upper-back. – Start to slowly roll up and down beginning at your mid-back and moving towards the top of your shoulders. – Pause for 15 to 20 seconds in areas that feel tight.
Girard recommends this stretch to release your trapezius muscles at the base of the neck. With your right hand at your side, bend your elbow—keeping it close.This stretch makes a nice compliment to neck rolls and helps to strengthen the rhomboid and pectoral muscles.
Sit up straight and touch your fingertips to your shoulders with your elbows pointed.A stiff neck and tight shoulders are very well known issues for many of us. The good thing is that if this pain is caused by stress, bad sitting habits, or lack of activity, regular stretching can make a big difference and even give you permanent relief. The key word is.
You can do this while seated or standing. Keep your head squarely over your shoulders and your back straight. Slowly turn your head to the right until you feel a stretch in the side of your neck.
Drop your shoulders and lift through your chest. Gently begin to pull your right arm towards your left until you feel a stretch. To get a stretch in your neck as well, tilt your head to the left until you feel a stretch. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Interlace your fingers behind your back, resting your hands on the small of your lower back and pulling the shoulders down and back.Only a few studies have examined the effect of stretching the levator scapulae on signs and symptoms in patients with shoulder or neck pain.” In other words, while we have seen a connection between poor posture, stress, and upper back/shoulder tension, there’s a lack of studying exactly how shoulder stretches.Shoulder stretches can help relieve muscle tension, pain, and tightness in the neck and shoulders. Stiff or tight shoulders can cause discomfort and limit a person’s range of motion.Place a forearm on each wall with the elbows slightly below shoulder height.
Lean forward until a good stretch is felt across the chest and shoulders. If any pain is felt, the stretch can be reduced or stopped altogether. Hold the stretch 30 to 60 seconds.Sitting with your back straight, tilt your head sideways toward your shoulder. For a larger stretch, drop your shoulder blade on the opposite side toward the floor.
Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat.Seated Half Moon A big source of shoulder and neck pain comes from tightness in the latissimus dorsi and other muscles in the upper back.
This stretch helps to release tension in the lats and the muscles between your ribs, as well as in your shoulders and triceps. Begin by sitting up tall in your chair.
List of related literature:
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from Raja Yoga (Annotated Edition) | |
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from Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers, and Practitioners | |
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from Instructing Hatha Yoga: A Guide for Teachers and Students | |
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from Reference Guide for Essential Oils | |
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from The Athlete’s Shoulder E-Book | |
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from Well Balanced Child | |
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from Aromatherapy for Health Professionals E-Book | |
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from Anatomy and 100 Essential Stretching Exercises | |
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from Exercise and Sporting Activity During Pregnancy: Evidence-Based Guidelines | |
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from Chinese Medical Qigong |
116 comments
This video is a Godsend…. relief in seconds from intense upper back pain. Thank you! Las Vegas posture improvement seeker
So thankful for this video my neck hurts from my office work ❤️
Desk Neck comes from too much forward bending. You are lacking the counter stretches for this issue: 1) Turn your head to each side, lean the head backwards and 2) Lean your head to each side and lean the headbackwards.
You do want to do the forward stretch (always work both sides), and make sure when you do the forward neck stretch, you tense your lower jaw/neck muscles, like you are trying to give yourself a double chin.
30 seconds for everything with a straight back, per ush.
Thank you Leon for taking the time to respond to my problem and I am already doing as we speak and already feeling the change with only one repetition, and I will add to my daily activities for sure! already shared to my cousin who is suffering from the same problem! Thank you again for your caring and attention!
Thanks very much, I feel much more better from my shoulder and neck:D
if u got upper back pain lay down on a tennis ball push down where pain is for few secs then down a bit push down around all muscles where pain is…it will hurt but that just means its working. it helps relieve some pain and do back exercises at gym too exercise helps a lot too. I find doing just stretches will not help. it doesn’t take away that piercing stabbing pain I experience in my upper back. the tennis ball helps a lot and a really hot bath! exercise! stretches should be done AFTER all these steps. hope this helps it did me
Thanks Michel. It really helps and worked. My back shoulder pain go away after these stretches.
My neck was was so tight this morning and I experienced an immediate release after doing this exercise! Thank you so much!
Whenever I watch yoga neck rolls, they usually warn to not roll backwards to avoid pinching. So since this is not rolling and the towel or strap is being used, pinching would not be a concern?
I’m having a problem understanding some of the stretches. At 2 minutes into the video, I can’t see where your arms are going and the closed captioning does not accurately translate what you are saying. It says “shoulder blades so we’re reaching through underneath the eyes if you can so hold it of a mix of five. I don’t want you to pull up as if so as if it’s a string, etc”. Can you help me with that part of the stretch? I love your stretches but because I can’t see where your hands are, I’m having difficulty with it. Thanks!!
My favorites guides. love you all that you teach us. can you improve the audio? Los quiero
Hi Michelle! My name is Giovanna Campos, I’m a partnership manager at Fabiosa Media. I’m contacting you because we’re interested in buying the rights of your video. Would you like to discuss the details in private? You may DM me to Instagram account @partnership.fabiosa or email me to giovanna.campos@ fabiosamedia.com Looking forward to your reply!
Do you know why your veins are so seen on the hands as mine are? I have noticed them and scared me a little (mine).
DEFINITELY helped! Thank you SO MUCH! Saving this video for sure!:)
The C7 joint on my neck warped while I was in my teens, so there’s always pain and tension there. Thank you for teaching us these stretches, I do them every day!
I have a pain that goes all the way to my arms, any idea how to fix that?
I wish I could afford a virtual session, would love to talk with you about my neck and shoulder pain
thanks guys! I have been doing the chin tucks for a while, but this really enhanced the stretch and made my upper back and shoulders loosen up!:)
Thank you guys. I get this pain every so often. Today I watched this and tried it and immediately I have had relief. Thanks again
Your videos are awesome, very educational and really love your banter. Thanks for sharing Bob and Brad. Good job gentlemen. Keep up the good job. Also, I will try to do these every hour 8-10 times a day. Great advice. Otherwise, I would have did this once a day.
The pain shoots straight to my thumb when I put my elbows up more. Is this the right stretch for me?
Thank you! This video helped with my neck and shoulder discomfort quite immediately. The prayer hands behind the back really works my lower back. Thank you!
I have Cervical Dystonia (Spasmodic Torticollis) which is different than Torticollis. Before seeing a Chiropractor please go to a Neurologist as this condition is misdiagnosed on a regular basis and you could actually be doing yourself more harm than good with some of the exercises mentioned.
Man. This is amazing. For months I suffered with my shoulder blade feeling caught and always having spasms because of the way I sleep and sit when I use my laptop. I then realized that it was because of my neck and apparently your nerve gets caught and muscles surrounding it get inflammed and tight. I used to get headaches on one side of my head all the time because of the tension. The past few days the pain even started to spread to my ribs and eventually my entire leg and knee. The entire right side of my body felt tense no matter how many times I tried to ‘crack’ my joints. But this stretch really seemed to help. I’m going to keep doing it everyday.
That was great! As someone who massively neglects mobility work this actually felt more like a workout♂️ Different from bodybuilding i suppose,brilliant video and really helped release my shoulders bavk amd chest
These are one of the best exercises I have done. It was really helpful. Can’t thank you enough for helping me dealing with my chronic shoulder and neck pain.
Thank you so much i was in so much pain until I found this video and as soon as I did the stretches my pain instantly went away god bless you!
That was absolutely wonderful! That was the best and most relaxing stretch routine for back and neck that I have done! It really seems to have helped, when all the other stretches were not able to loosen up my muscles. I have lots of neck pain and stiffness, but recently I have not been able to even find any comfortable position either sitting or lying down. And my neck and upper back have felt permanently contracted, and I was not able to loosen them. This felt wonderful though! And you moved nice and slowly, and did some moves I had not seen done before. My muscles actually feel much looser and more limber and pliable now. Thank you so much!
Hello… You guys are doing a great job.
From last 1 month, I have a middle back pain problem on the right side. I don’t know how it started. In morning I am just good… I don’t feel any pain but then with a walk and sitting for long hours say 2 hours I feel pain in the middle of my back same at the right side. With bed rest and deep tissue massage I feel really good but again just exertion irritate it again. I am using some medicine from last 20 days but it is not useful. I feel like I have muscle spasm problem. Please tell me what should I need to do. Thanks
You have such a sweet, calm vibe. Your stretches have definitely put my body more at ease. Thank you so much, Caroline. ✨
Thank you for this. Neck and traps have been killing me all day in the office. Now I am releasing so much tension.
I adore you two.phusocal therapist from the philippines.salute.your skeleton model amazes me.id like to have one jahahahah.i hope my patients wont be scared.hahhaha
Thank you so much for this wonderful exercise! It completely takes away my neck pain!
Thank you I’ve had Ddd for twelve years and the pain is awful despite medication I will definitely try this
When I saw the image pic for this video, it caught my attention because I thought the guy stretching back had a red Mohawk
Googling headache later in the day= brain tumor. Turns out this stretch was all it took. Would love for some other stretches to help out us gamers who slouch because of long periods of sitting
Hey guys, party in the next room. Seriously, I have this pain and I’ve been doing this exercise just about every morning with results.
I feel a major stretch in front of the neck and upper chest???
everything keeps popping.. my neck, back, collar bones,shoulder,s ribs, xiphoid process.. im not sure thats good..but i ll keep trying… thanks
omg I have been wondering why this random pain started happening!
I thought it was just from sleeping badly, with one side of the neck and pain radiating from the neck to the shoulder blade.
Could I try this for moderate thoracic spondylitis? Sp?? Lol
Thank you, this really helped. I”ve had the pain about as long as I’ve had a desk, computer job. I felt relief right away!
Got this pain from seating on the computer for too long cuz of corona virus
Wow. This helped me very much. Got rid of the pain. Thank you for your great help!!!!
Amazing video! But to everyone who watches the video make sure you know what the problem with your back is because I found out I had a muscle tear and this made it wayyy worse.
Thanks for all your requests for upper back stretches, hope this one helps you out!
Ok
So i tried it and those parts of my neck were insanely tight…wow
Ive got tiny pinches of sharp pain starting at the base of my neck
Hopefully this can help get rid of tension i get all the time!
I feel Relief in my migraine holy damn I had a migraine attack and it relieved it by 80%
Wish I’d learnt this strech years ago having just completed a set of 3 all neck & tension has eased significantly. Thank-You.
Hi I got this local house visit body massager she solve my shoulder & backache pro plus her providing sentimental music relaxing mind & body I am so happy to have her coming my house I always waiting for her next visit to solve my pain contact Amenda 87119013 if need release back neck shoulder pain
Thank you so so much for this. It really helps! God bless you
wow. that felt good to loosen up this morning thanks Caroline
Thanks doctor it just went of instantly, I’ve been having this pain for sometime especially when I tilt my head back..
I have fibromyalgia and my neck and shoulders hurt so bad these stretched were amazing I actually feel better I have less pain
Finally a stretch that gives relief. I’ve been having bad upper back pain lately, I’ve been doing yoga, other neck and shoulder stretches. But that was the one muscle group that I want not getting relief.
The moment you described the muscle you were gonna stretch I was like YES THATS THE ONE THAT HURTS.
Thank you
I’ve pain in between my shoulder blade…it hurts a lot when i bend down plz help me to solve that problem?
I want to do belly dancing and I can’t lift my arm to do the moving of the arm that makes the beautiful graceful fluid movement
Thank you for this! It really targets the tec neck issues I get so often.
thank you soooo much for the neck routine. it’s helped me a lot! it’s great too that it’s 15 minutes so I can do it daily!
Thank the Goddes I found this video. My neck was ka-illing me. Almost not functional at the keyboard. My sister-in-law is a massage therapist but it’s after midnight, and I had forgotten what she’d told me. SO glad you had this video! Thank you.
Hello, I’m a young basketball player and I have been getting some pain in both of my knees. It just started to hurt randomly. I can’t bend them without pain. After a while not doing any physical activities I was experiencing less pain, but after I do a little bit of running or jumping the pain comes right back. It hurts under my knee cap on a bump that is on both of my knees. I went to a doctor and they just told me to get some vitamins like calcium, magnesium. But it didn’t really help. Please help me ASAP.
Can you please prepare video swimming after abdominal hysterectomy
I like this exercise. A little painful, but I feel it’s working.
Thank you, I’m experiencing just this pain. Just had a neck and shoulder assessment for nerve impingement, currently having physio and doing all these exercises!
I’m a paraplegic and naturally have a lot of shoulder and neck pain. Your video is extremely helpful, especially since my fitness center is closed right now!
Love this, one of my favourite stretches to give to clients!
Thank you so much, my neck pain is gone which I had for over a month!
Hey guys, the audio seems really low on this video. But I am going to try this Stretch.
Thank you Bob and Brad! I follow and recommend you all the timeThis time I needed it for myself. I am going to give it a whirl and let everyone know how it worked!
When stretching the back, do you think that one would get a more optimal stretch after taking a muscle relaxant as opposed to stretching without a muscle relaxant in your system?
I’ve been doing this routine every day and my debilitating pain is definitely going away! Thank you for giving me my life back!
Hi, I have fusion of C2/3. Should I be watching for anything in these exercises.?
Hi, which ones do you recommend for truck driving.? Are there any suggestions.?
Brilliant stretch. The focus on where to look toward makes all the difference. Thank you!
Buy my printable worksheet with these Neck Stretches at: https://www.askdoctorjo.com/neck-pain-relief-stretches-worksheet
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Thank you so much for this! I wanted to DIE when I did the wide shoulders, the pain from my upper back was so horrible it spread to my chest! thought I was having a heart attack
Once pain free motion has been restored, should A person continue the exercise and if so, how often?
Is this ok to do if you have thoracic compression fractures?
i slept wrong and my neck hurts super bad. it’s sore and annoying and i’m trying to make it go away
Hey doctor jo I have really bad forward neck posture and I know it puts pressure on your legs because it tilts everything forward my leg knee just about has started aching you think this is because my posture is so forward it’s an on and off pain about my knee and around it
This really helps!! I do this routine once a day and it works wonders, thank you so much Caroline!!
Thank you for this exercice! I feel better judt after one try
hope this helps my suboccipital neuralgia as the constant daily pain is debilitating thank you
How do I keep my arms straight while keeping it down by tucking it under my legs? It seems impossible as I have long arms, should i use a different alternative to straighten it instead?
Guys try this it’s amazing
Wow.. I felt almost immediate relief
Love all your videos, they are easy to follow and understand, very helpful and your light hearted presentation is always enjoyable.m
Feels soooo nice after a long sore day skiing and your happiness is contagious
Thank you so much for this video… it’s great relief for my pain lots of love for you:-)
These stretches have helped me immensely with my neck and shoulder stiffness. Thank you so much!
Wow! I can really feel the effects of this stretch. Thank you!
Thank you, Great technique for relieving my stiff posterior neck.
I love these exercises so much I have neck and shoulder and upper back problems thank you so much
My neck and shoulders feel a lot better thanks to your video. Really appreciate this!
I have a really bad neck and could barely move my head in any direction. This routine is amazing, I’m already feeling better and getting some mobility back. Thank you so much for sharing your exercises and that broad infectious smile!
I have chronic neck, shoulder and back pain and my goal is to do this everyday. So far so good! The stretches really help! Thank you:)
tried this, didn’t work. made me a bit sleepy but did not relieve shoulder pain
just doing the first two stretched just now helped a lot already, Thanks Doc!
I’ve been in so much pain mostly my left shoulder neck.. these stretches feel good.. thank you. Tomorrow morning.. I’ll be hitting PLAY again!!
I really enjoy and benefit from your videos. Simple, down to earth, and affective. Some of these others channels feel like I’m being talked at by used car salesmen. 😉 Beautiful efforts, thank you!
Thank you! This really helped me this morning! My shoulder and neck hurt after sleeping. Maybe time for a decent pillow
You know what you are just amazing…. It’s like magic… Your every stretches…
Hey man madicines can’t help me but your exercise help me alot to relief my neck pain
I crack my neck so often to reduce pain but that sound of cracking scares my friends and family is it okay to do though it helps me relief pain
Very helpful. Thank you. Pin pointed where the issue is as I couldn’t tilt my head to the left. Thanks again
Why do I have a snapping sound by my clavicle every time I roll my shoulders…?
hi, when i do the chin push back, i feel pain starting at where my hairline meets my forehead and travels down my forehead on the right side. is that a pinched muscle or nerve that is connecting my neck to my head?
These are great, I always like showing my clients neck stretches!
These stretches have never failed me when I get neck pain. Thanks so much!
That towel trick just kicked my headaches ass. I get migraines because of the pain in my next. Most exercises/stretches don’t go deep enough for my pain but that towel just did something! Thank you!
Thank you. Just did this and my back, neck and shoulders feels so much better. I can study for a bit longer tonight.
Hi Michelle. Just a question. I sometimes/rarely have tight sore front neck muscles when I swallow. It’s from too much computer work. But when I press my fingers at the back of my neck muscles splenius capitis (from just behind the ears downwards) for a minute and release, the pain goes away temporarily. Would you know how this may happen? It seems these two areas are so separate. Thanks!
I was just trying some of these, because, neck cramp. Instead of a towel I am using a sarong, which is longer. My arms got tired from pulling up, and I accidentally found that if you wrap the top part around your ear like shown, but then continue around your forehead, you can sorta wrap the fabric around your head and it makes the pulling so much easier. And in the end that stretch felt really nice.
Gotta laff! I do this exercise while walking my dogs and I use their leash! See 9:15. You guys are great, as always! Still waiting on that cure for a broken heart. 8-]
Hey doc, please dont forget about knee fat pad inflammation (Hoffa’s syndrome).
You guys are so darnly likable! Your tips and explanations are highly appreciated!
Could please do more stretches of the feet and plantar fasciitis videos? It is a problem that bugs many, and we would like to see as many stretches and remedies as we can. I know you’ve done some in the past, I just would like more. Thanks!