Neck Pain Support Blog

How To Avoid Neck Pain When Working Out!...

The first thing to do is for any other part of the body as well - warm up.

Do some dynamic stretches or warm-ups specifically for the neck. The best are half circles for the neck. Roll from one ear to the other with your head tilted forward. Roll from one ear to the other with the head extended back.

Otherwise a general warm up like a 5 minute jog or a few minutes on the bike will help to get your entire body loosened up.

I like neck half circles but I like to put the neck into all it's ranges of motion and do a stretch in each direction too.

These directions- include:

1. Flexion - tilt the chin down to your chest. For an extra stretch put some light pressure behind the head pushing the head into more flexion.

2. Extension - the exact opposite of the 1st one. Tilt the head back. Use one of your hands to apply light pressure tilting the head into more extension.

3. Right lateral flexion - lateral flexion is the same as bending or tilting to the side. Bring the right ear toward the right shoulder. For a bit more stretch, reach up with the right hand pulling the head into more lateral flexion.

4. Left lateral flexion - done to the opposite side of right lateral flexion, this time bring the left ear to the left shoulder.

5. Right rotation - turn the head to the right, fingers or the hand on the left temple with a little pressure will put you in extra rotation.

6. Left rotation - the exact opposite of right rotation, or I probably should say the mirror image. Do the same thing but turn the head to the right.

Afterwords I like more sustained stretches. So for example bringing one ear to the shoulder and holding 15 seconds. A "cool down" is good too... Finish with a 5-10 minute light bike ride for instance; even do a little neck massaging.

Additional Reading Resources:

• The Best Exercise to Correct Forward Head Posture
• The Neck Pain Relief Package
• Hunchback Posture
• How to Make Turmeric Tea
• Do I need to Stretch Before My Workout?

 

Related articles

Do I Need To Stretch Before My Workout?

Understanding Your Posture

1st Starting With A Neck Pillow...Go Gradual

Do I Get An Epidural?

Muscle Resistance Exercises for the Neck

What's the bast way to build strength?  It's training with resistance - like weights for instance.  I just watched Conan ( I've seen it a couple times before, but it was on...).  The point is that Conan was a young slave pushing this heavy wheel, and it skips ahead a number of years and you see him still pushing but now he has muscles upon muscles.  This is back when Arnold Schwarzenegger played the lead role.  Now it's the "Rock", but that's not important.  Basically you see a youngster and then you see Arnold.  The point is Resistance!

I'm not saying you need to look like or train like a pro bodybuilder, you simply need to strengthen the muscles a bit.  Neck muscles are important because they hold the head up.  Doesn't soud like a big deal but try logging a couple hours on the computer or texting and keeping that perfect neck posture.

Most often we see that unwanted forward head posture or carriage.  So along with some of the other things you are doing to prevent forward head, hear are some great tips on where and how toexercise the neck with resistance.

At the gym I have seen a head harness of sorts that you wear, that is hooked to weights via a cable.  You can use this but be careful.  I don't ever use it nor do I recommend it.  If you do use it, use very light weight, and do exercise for all the neck ranges of motion.  These are forward flexion, extension, right and left rotation, as well as right and left lateral flexion.

You can actually use you hand or hands for the resistance.  For example, when doing head retractions, place your hand(s) or fingers behind the head, holding it there.  Here are some other ways to get resistance and strengthen the neck when doing head retractions:

• The Car seat - when doing retractions push back on headrest.
• A Towel - put it around the back of the head, holding it near each end in front of you. Now, push back against the towel.
• An Elastic Band - you can do the same thing you did with the towel that you can a resistance band. Don't have one of those, use a shirt!
• The Floor - you can basically do the same thing laying on your back on the rug or couch.
• A Wall - maybe you are not where you can lay down, stand against the wall. Typically the sheet rock has a little give.

These are great examples when doing head retractions.  I picked head retraction exercise because they combat forward head posture; probably the most common neck misalignment I see.  But as you can imagine, you an use hands to give resistance an any motion.

 

Additional Information:

1. Try Resistance Bands

2. The Posture Pillow

3. How to do Head Retraction Exercises

I Always Feel Tired

Here's a list of some possibilities why, that you may not have thought of:

1. The Thyroid - involved in production of hormones that control sleep and fatigue, if something's not working here you will absolutely feel tired. Hypothyroidism is thought of as something that slows everything down.
2. Alcohol Consumption - it is a depressant, and you may fall asleep, but you won't necessarily get good quality sleep.  Who wants to fall asleep and still wake up tired.  If you are a bit hung over all you may want to do is stay in bed as well.
3. Being Depressed - people suffering with depression often don't sleep well either.  If your mind is still active at bedtime, you may not fall asleep well or get back to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night.
4. Napping to much or too long - do you ever feel like you have taken a nap every day this week and now you feel like you are always going to need it? Research has shown us that 20 minute power nap will be more beneficial for you.
5. Lack of Magnesium - many of us a deficient in this, and if you are then sleep may not be your only problem.  Mg is a mineral that works well with calcium; so one more issue is that if you're low in it your body won't utilize Calcium (Ca) optimally either.
6. Dehydration - water is involved in almost every body reaction, a lack of it may be a reason you're not sleeping.  Water is one of the simplest cure-all elements.
7. Sleep Apnea - another issue you might not know is going on. It is usually truly found when monitored.  There are periods where one doesn't breathe well.  There are oxygen machines on the market as well as tools to monitor you O2 levels.
8. Neck Pain or Your Pillow - In fact, your pillow may be contributing to your pain, and therefore your lack of sleep.

There you have it, a bunch of things you don't always think of that can be preventing a good night's sleep.  Does one of these sound like it might be your issue?

 

Additional Reading:

1. The Linear Gravity Pillow

2. 3 sizes of Traction Pillows

3. Hypothyroidism