Simple self-care: Neck tension
By Megan
Today we’re diving into some self-care practices you can do to relieve neck pain.
Neck Anatomy 101
From view of neck anatomy. Source: Britannica.ca.
Your neck has three sections of muscles: the anterior (front), lateral (sides) and posterior (back).
These sections serve different functions:
posterior muscles brings the head into extension (backwards)
lateral muscles help stabilise the head, rotate it left and right, and tilt it side to side,
anterior muscles stabilise the head from the front and connect the ribcage to the jaw and skull
Why do I have neck pain?
Tension
Emotional stress collects in the neck, shoulders and jaw. Ever had a rough week and found yourself clenching your teeth? Crunching the shoulders up to your ears? That's muscle tension. Left untreated, muscle tension in the neck can result in referral pain (pain elsewhere in the body) and tension headaches.
The good news is that studies show that exercising the neck can help reverse postural changes
Posture
Spend a lot of time sitting? If so, you probably suffer from ‘tech neck’ or ‘forward head drift’ posture.
When we sit a lot, the neck tends to drive forward, and eventually the muscles of the neck adapt to that posture.
The result? A permanent shift forward of your head in front of your body.
For every inch the head shifts forward, you add an extra 10-12 pounds of pressure to those support muscle groups. Carrying this pressure over time creates stiffness, pain, and discomfort.
Self-care for preventing tension
Cold weather and the change of seasons adds some extra considerations;
Firstly, stay hydrated. We've explored the benefits of staying hydrated, but when the weather cools many of us find ourselves reaching for the water bottle less. To stay hydrated, consider shifting from cold water to drinking warm water with lemon or herbal teas.
Secondly, colder weather can invite increased muscle tension.
Bracing against cold and wind or even shivering to try to raise the body temperature will add tension in the muscles of the neck.
Wear layers and keep the neck covered with high collars and scarves.
Neck bouncy ball massage
This is a short self-massage practice to manage neck tension using a bouncy ball.
For best practices build this short practice into your day regularly. If you work at a desk job, keep a bouncy ball on your desk and roll out tension when you feel it creeping in.
Neck stretch and fascial release
You could do this at your desk, but make sure you have room to move your arms.
Neck strength and stretch
One exercise in this video uses a yoga strap. If you don't have one, a tea towel or belt is a great replacement.
Want more related to this topic?
Move with us: join us on the mat for movement and mobility practices
Read: Simple Self Care: Jaw
Watch: myofascial release playlist on YouTube
Watch: desk workers playlist on YouTube
