Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. Do not bounce back and forth on your stretches. Try to stretch at a different time from physical activity, so as to reduce the risk of injury.
If you have muscle tightness, you may apply heat beforehand to first relax the muscles.
You shouldn’t apply heat if you lack sensation, have an open wound, area of infection, or cancer over the affected area or are unable to reposition yourself.
If using a heating pad, wrap it around a towel so as not to burn yourself. You may use it for 15 minutes, and then perform your stretches.
Try the following stretches:
Use both hands to clasp behind your head. Then gently pull forward bringing your chin to your chest.
If your right neck hurts, look at your right shoulder. Now tilt your head to the opposite side (left shoulder). Apply downward pressure on the head.
If your right neck hurts, tilt your head to the opposite side (ear to shoulder). Now pull downward on your right arm. You can rest your back onto a chair for added support.
The shoulders can be rounded forward. This usually happens from muscle imbalance (the chest is stronger than the back) and muscle tightness (the chest muscles are kept in a short position).
Rounded shoulders can put you at greater risk of shoulder injury, and upper back pain.
To restore alignment, you can perform the following chest stretch along a wall, at different arm heights to target different parts of the chest
Try the following stretches:
Spinal Twist
2. Single Knee to Chest
3. Heels to Bottom
