If you have a pinched nerve in your neck, it can be incredibly painful trying to turn your head. Watch the video to learn 5 exercises for a pinched nerve in your neck to relieve pain and improve mobility.
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What Causes a Pinched Nerve in Your Neck?
If you have a pinched nerve in your neck, you might feel sharp pain when turning your head. Sometimes, the pain can spread into the shoulder blade or down the arm. This type of pain can be frustrating and limit your daily activities.
Nerves exit the neck through small openings called foramina.
These can get smaller with poor posture, such as a forward head position or looking up too much.
Tilting your head toward the painful side can also narrow these spaces. This leads to nerve irritation or pinching.
The most commonly affected nerves are C5, C6, and C7. C5 pain often goes to the shoulder. C6 pain may travel to the outer arm or thumb. C7 pain can reach the middle finger.
Sitting with a forward head can cause the lower neck to hyperextend, which compresses these nerves further. Movements that flex the neck or move away from the painful side can help relieve pressure.
Exercise 1: Chin Tuck with Upper Cervical Rotation
This exercise helps open the space where the nerves exit by improving movement in the upper neck. Start by gently tucking your chin toward your throat. Then, perform a small rotation side to side.
Keep the motion small. Avoid turning too far, especially toward the painful side. The goal is to mobilize the upper neck, where much of your rotation comes from, without stressing the lower neck.
Exercise 2: Segmental Side Bending
This exercise improves flexibility in specific segments of your neck. Instead of bending your whole neck, bend just a little at a time, moving segment by segment.
Start with a small side bend away from the painful side. Hold for 30 seconds where you feel the stretch. You can use gentle pressure with your hand to add light compression, which can help target the stretch more precisely.
Exercise 3: SNAG Towel Rotation
Use a towel rolled up like a log. Place it around your neck. Reach across with the opposite hand and pull the towel across your cheekbone to assist rotation.
Go only as far as you can without pain or increased symptoms. Repeat the motion for 10–15 reps, holding briefly at the end of each turn.
Exercise 4: First Rib Mobilization
Sit on one end of a strap or belt and bring the other end over your shoulder like a seatbelt. Pull it down firmly across your opposite hip to anchor your first rib.
Once anchored, gently tip your head away from the painful side. This helps stretch tight muscles like the scalenes without pulling too hard on sensitive nerves.
Exercise 5: Arms Overhead Elevation with Shrug
Raise both arms overhead and shrug your shoulders while keeping your chin tucked. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax.
This shortens your upper trapezius muscles, which may actually be overstretched despite feeling tight. Repeat this 10 times.
These five exercises for a pinched nerve in your neck can help relieve pain and improve movement. Give them a try and see which ones work best for you.
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