Whether you’re typing on a computer or spending time looking at a phone, we seem to spend most of our time with rounded shoulders, bowed heads, and hunched backs. And if you’ve been feeling tension in your neck and shoulders, your posture is probably to blame.
Maintaining poor posture for long periods of time forces the body to adapt to the new shape, making some muscles shorter and longer, and others longer and weaker. This creates muscle imbalances, which can cause discomfort and pain and can continue chronically until postural alignment is corrected.
Instead of letting the knots become infected, pause for a few moments throughout the day and try these simple stretches. Hold each stretch or movement for 30 seconds, and don’t forget to switch sides as needed.
Neck flex stretch
- Stand or sit with your back flat and your arms at your sides.
- Take a deep breath.
- Then exhale as you slowly lower your chin to your chest, feeling a gentle stretch at the back of your neck.
- Take some deep breaths here.
- Then raise your head up.
Neck rolls
- Start sitting or standing.
- As you exhale, lower your chin to your chest.
- Take another breath and slowly lift your chin toward your left shoulder.
- Inhale again and move your chin up your chest and up to your right shoulder.
- Continue to rotate the neck shoulder to shoulder slowly, gradually increasing the range of motion.
Shoulder rolls
- Sit or stand with your shoulders away from your ears.
- Inhale and lift your shoulders towards your ears.
- Then roll your shoulders back behind your ears, down and then up.
- Continue moving your shoulders in circles, changing direction after several counts.
Shrugged shoulders
- Start standing or sitting with your back flat and your arms at your sides or in your lap.
- In an inhalation, lift your shoulders toward your ears in a shrugging motion.
- Wait here for a few moments.
- Then, on an exhale, release your shoulders back to the starting position.
Upper trapezius stretch
- Sit in a chair with your back flat and your arms at your sides.
- Gently grasp the right side of the chair with your right hand.
- Slowly tilt your left ear toward your left shoulder.
- Then slowly turn your head to the right and look up at the ceiling until you feel a stretch on the right side of your neck.
- Hold this stretch for a few deep breaths and repeat as needed, switching sides.
If you don’t feel this neck and shoulder stretch, place your left hand over your head to add gentle pressure to the stretch, pulling your head toward your left shoulder.
Door stretch
- Stand in a narrow open door frame. Alternate feet to improve balance with left foot versus right foot.
- Grab the sides of the door frame at shoulder height.
- Lean slowly through the door frame until you feel a stretch across the front of your chest and shoulders.
- Hold here for several deep breaths and repeat as needed.
Scalene Stretch
- Sit in a chair with your back flat and your arms at your sides.
- Gently grasp the right side of the chair with your right hand.
- Tilt the left ear toward the left shoulder.
- Then, pass your left hand over the body and place it on the right clavicle.
- Gently and gradually press on the right clavicle and shoulder to increase the stretch.
- Hold this stretch for a few deep breaths and repeat as needed, switching sides.
