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The 10-Minute Neck Exercise Plan
Dr. Don Parkerson, Jr.
In my April article, Mandy and Sunshine demonstrated
a set of exercises that would improve the overall health of your lower
back. Now, it’s time for a brief,
concise routine of exercises to stabilize your neck and help you hold your
adjustments for longer periods of time.
Many of you hold tension in your neck and shoulders,
leading to stiffness, bad posture, and headaches. These exercises are meant to help you ease
that tension, increase flexibility, and regain any loss of movement in your
neck.
Each exercise should be done slowly and
evenly. It is also very important that
you stretch both sides of your body equally to maintain balance in your spine.
To make your neck exercises a consistent habit, do
them each morning and again before going to bed. Think of these exercises as good spinal
hygiene and make them a part of your daily routine.
1.
Neck
Flexion
·
Drop your chin
towards your chest, allowing the back of your neck to lengthen.
·
Hold this
position for 3 to 5 seconds, and then return your head to normal.
·
Repeat this
exercise 5 to 10 times.
2.
Neck
Extension
·
While sitting
comfortably, lift your chin towards the ceiling. Allow your head to drop back as far as is
comfortable and hold this position for 1 to 2 seconds.
·
Relax your
shoulders, exhale, and bring your head back to normal.
·
Repeat this
exercise 3 to 5 times.
3.
Left
& Right Head Rotation
·
Turn your head
slowly to the left side until it cannot easily go any further.
·
Hold this
position for 2 to 3 seconds, and then release back to center.
·
Do this exercise
5 times on the left side.
·
Repeat the above
steps for the right side.
4.
Shoulder
Shrug
·
Shrug your
shoulders as far up as you easily can and hold this position for 5 seconds.
·
Release, and
allow your shoulders to go downwards further than normal.
·
Repeat this
exercise 10 times.
·
To add intensity
to this exercise, hold a 5 or 10 pound weight in each hand while doing the
shoulder shrug.
5.
Lateral
Resistance
·
Hold one hand
against the side of your head.
·
Use your hand to
resist the movement as you try to touch your shoulder with your ear.
·
Hold this
posture for 5 seconds.
·
Relax, and
repeat on the opposite side
·
Repeat this
exercise 5 times on both right and left sides.
6.
Towel
Roll Exercise
If you have been told that your neck lacks the normal
curvature, the towel roll is a great addition to the previous 5 exercises.
For a more in-depth explanation of cervical
curvatures and the towel roll exercise, please see my November 2005 article. CLICK HERE for the November article.
·
Roll up one end of a standard bath towel, thus
forming a uniform roll.
·
Lie flat on your
back with the towel roll positioned in the curve of your neck. Your head should be flat and your shoulders should
be firmly resting as well. You should
feel a slight upward pressure on your neck when lying on the towel roll.
·
For the first 2
weeks, lie on the towel roll for no more than 10 minutes. As your neck improves, you may increase each
session time to 15 minutes per day.
Just a few words of caution:
·
If you have not
stretched in a while, you may experience soreness after your first day. The best way to avoid extreme muscle soreness
from exercising is to start slowly and gradually increase your intensity.
·
For those who
have had neck surgery, please check with your surgeon before doing these
exercises.
·
If you
experience dizziness or vertigo during any of these exercises, stop immediately
and consult your chiropractor or physician.
For further information on this topic, you may contact Dr. Parkerson at
770.952.5353, by email at Parkerson@humberparkerson.com,
or visit our clinic on the web at www.HumberParkerson.com.
The Highest Level is the monthly e-mail newsletter of the
© Humber Parkerson
Clinic 2006
June 2006 issue of The Highest Level
