Have You Tried Stretches To Relieve Neck Pain But They Don't Help?

Watch the video below to learn a common mistake people make when stertching their neck, plus how to fix it so that you can relieve your neck pain

These Tips Can Help Make This Stretch To Relieve Neck Pain More Effective

1. On the side you're having neck pain, put a towel closely over that shoulder.
2. Bring the towel across the front of your body diagonally (like a seat belt in a car).
3. Pull down on the towel diagonally, so you feel a little bit of tension or a stretch in your neck.
4. Do a slight little head tips over to the side.
5. If you're doing it correctly and keeping the pressure close to your neck, you should feel just a very gentle stretch in the side of your neck above where the towel hits.

How Do You Know If You Need This Stretch To Relieve Your Neck Pain?

If you look in the mirror you MAY notice that one shoulder is lower than the other shoulder. If the low shoulder happens to be the side that the pain is on, then it is VERY IMPORTANT that you use a towel when stretching!

Why, you may ask?

Well, if your shoulder is lower, it means the muscles supporting your shoulder blade are already overstretched! If you stretch them further, this could just worsen your neck pain. Now, there are stiff muscles in the side of the neck (the scalene muscles), that attach to your first rib. If you stretch EVERYTHING without using the towel, you are NOT going to stretch the scalene muscles (which are stiff and shortened), but you WILL stretch the muscles that attach to your shoulder blade which are already overstretched. And you don't want that.

Summary... If you neck pain is on the side of the lower shoulder, make sure to use a towel when stretching your neck. It would be better not to stretch at all than to stretch without the towel.

Now if, on the other hand, the shoulder that you have pain on is higher, the towel stretch MAY still be a good idea, but feel free to go ahead and stretch without the towel as well.