Top 4 exercises for neck pain and headaches
Here are 4 of my favourite exercises that I give to patients who suffer from neck pain and/or headaches. They are easy to do and can help a lot to relieve tension in the neck and shoulders, as well as reducing headaches. They work by improving blood flow to the muscles of the neck, shoulders and upper back, as well as working to improve range of movement through the joints of these same areas.
Overhead stretch
Lifting both arms up overhead, either interlacing fingers or keeping your hands apart, stretch as far as you can towards the ceiling. Hold this stretch for a few seconds or as long as feels comfortable, and then gently lower your left hand down to your side and stretch your right arm over to the left. Hold for a few seconds before coming back to the centre, and then doing the same to the other side.
This stretch works to stretch the muscles of the thoracic spine (upper back) and the shoulders, predominantly your rhomboids, lats and traps. It also helps to gently articulate the spine into extension (backwards bending) to help increase movement through the joints.
This movement can also be done seated on a chair if that is more comfortable for you, or if you wanted to do it at your desk if you work in an office based role.
Neck Stretch
Bring your left hand onto the right side of your head, tilt your head to the left and gently apply a little bit of pressure with your left hand on your head to increase the stretch. Hold for 5-10 seconds and then repeat on the other side. This is also great to do at your desk if you notice tension during the day.
Thoracic rotations
Come down onto your hands and knees, making sure your hips are stacked over your knees and your shoulders are over your wrists. Take your right hand and thread it between your left hand and knee, dropping all the way down to rest your shoulder on the ground. You can either stay here for 15-20 seconds for a nice stretch through your shoulder, or you can make it a dynamic movement by moving fluidity in and out of this position. Or you can do a combination of both! Do as many as you feel you need, it’s not really a move that you can overdo. And then switch and do the other side to make sure you stay nice and balanced.
This exercise works to improve the rotation of your thoracic spine (upper back) which is often a forgotten movement in our day to day. It also gives a nice stretch through the muscles of the shoulders.
Prone neck extensions
Lying on your stomach with your hands in front of you, elbows out to the side and your head resting on your hands. Ensure your core stays engaged and you’re not arching through your lower back, slowly lift your head off your hands, keeping your hands on the ground. Make sure your gaze stays looking directly down at your hands, so you're just lifting from the back, rather than extending through your neck. Aim for 8-10 of these, but stop if you start to get pain/fatigued and try a few more again later.
If this feels comfortable, you can up the intensity by keeping your hands on your forehead and bringing them up with you as you lift your head.
This exercise is more of a strengthening exercise, and is mostly working the traps, rhomboids + your neck extensors
These exercises by themselves are not always enough to relieve your symptoms if you’re experiencing significant pain. My advice would be to book into your local osteopath for a thorough assessment and treatment. Once the body has been balanced by a qualified professional, these exercises will feel more comfortable and effective, and will help to support the treatment.