Stiff Neck Exercises

Having a stiff neck can be one of the most frustrating conditions for anyone to endure. You can get a stiff neck simply by sleeping the wrong way. It rarely is indicative of a serious injury but can hinder mobility, create headaches and impede your lifestyle until it is resolved. Stretching and strength exercises for your neck can help you alleviate symptoms. Consult your doctor if the stiffness does not get better within a few weeks or becomes increasingly painful.

Slowly But Surely

• Remember that a stiff neck is usually caused by muscle tension or a spasm in the cervical region. When doing any exercises for this region, do movements slowly and with deliberate action. Don't try to push through pain. You don't want to aggravate the muscles or risk further injury. Instead do exercises to the point of feeling the stretch. Breath through the stretches because this will help relax the muscles and provide them with nutrient-rich oxygen to promote healing. The goal is to improve your range of motion. This takes time and persistence.

Stretching

• Stretching will improve the flexibility of the muscles around the cervical spine. You can do these stretches sitting or standing. If you have a stiff neck, you probably will have one particular movement that is hindered the most. These exercises are presented in an ideal order, but skip an exercise that is the most difficult and return to it when you have warmed up all other muscles. Repeat all exercises five times.

  Start with cervical flexion and extension, in which you bring your chin down to your chest and then raise it back. Then move on to lateral flexion, for which you try to place your ear to the shoulder on the same side; alternate from right ear to left ear. Move into cervical rotation, looking from side to side as far over your shoulder as you can without pain; then, standing and with your hands clasped behind your neck, bring your left elbow down toward your left hip with your right elbow pointing to the ceiling. Bend at the waist to do this and alternate sides.

Strengthening

• Strengthening your neck muscles provides additional support for the spine. This can prevent many neck problems and promote good spinal health. To accomplish these exercises, you will use the same motions you did in stretching: flexion, extension and rotation. This time you will do them with resistance. Machines can provide resistance for these, but you don't need to join a gym or purchase any equipment to accomplish stronger neck muscles. Use your hands for resistance. For example, when you are doing cervical flexion, place both palms on your forehead and push against your forehead as you bring your chin down. For extension, place your hands behind your head and push. Create resistance opposite any motion you are doing to create a simple strength workout.