Neck Pain Relief Exercise Tutorial

How to do Neck Pain Relief Exercises

Overview

Your neck muscles can get really tight, and it can be like wearing the weight of the world on your shoulders, so we’re going to teach you how to stretch out those neck muscles of yours.

Level

Beginner

Targets

Neck

Step by Step Instructions

Stretch the Front of the Neck

1. Sit or stand tall.
2. Tip your chin back toward the ceiling as far as you comfortably can.
3. Your face may end up almost parallel with the ceiling if you are flexible.
4. Hold for 20–30 seconds.

Stretch the Back of the Neck

1. Slowly tuck your chin down toward your chest.
2. You should feel a gentle stretch along the back of your neck.
3. Hold for 20–30 seconds.

Stretch Each Side of the Neck

1. Return to neutral.
2. Gently bring your right ear toward your right shoulder without lifting the shoulder.
3. Hold for 20–30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

Stretch Through All Ranges of Motion (Clock Method)

1. Imagine your head is moving like the hands of a clock.
2. Start at 12:00 by tipping your head back.
3. Move slowly to 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and so on, pausing briefly in each position.
4. This gently stretches your neck in all directions.

Tips

• Move slowly and gently — never force your neck into a position.
• Keep shoulders relaxed during all stretches.
• Breathe deeply and evenly while holding each stretch.

[Video Transcript]

Your neck muscles can get really tight, and it can be like wearing the weight of the world on your shoulders, so we’re going to teach you how to stretch out those neck muscles of yours. The first stretch you’re going to do is you’re going to tip your chin back towards the ceiling as far as you can go. Caitlyn is very flexible. Her face is almost parallel with the ceiling, and that’s going to stretch out the front of her neck. You’re going to hold each of these stretches for 20 to 30 seconds, but for the purposes of the video she is not going to be holding them for that long.

Now Caitlyn, you’re going to tuck your chin down to your chest and that’s going to stretch out the back of her neck. She’s going to bring her right ear to her right shoulder and tip her… You can see how flexible Caitlyn’s neck is. It’s okay if you’re not that flexible. Then you’re going to the other side. Great. Remember to hold each of these stretches 20 to 30 seconds. Now if you bring your head back to neutral, sometimes I like to think about stretching my neck like the hands of a clock. I can start at 12:00, and tip your head back. Then you’re going to hold there, and then you can go to 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, 6:00 and so on and so forth.

That’s going to stretch your neck in all ranges of motion. Remember, Caitlyn’s just demonstrating here, so she’s doing the stretches faster than 20 to 30 seconds. But at home, you can follow along in 20 to 30 second stretching increments.

Back to All Home Exercises 
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