8 Best Shoulder & Neck strengthening exercises

Neck and back pain can be irritating when you have to perform a hectic task in your workplace, but the pain hampers you. Regardless of the pain, you may sit down simply at your desk and perform some stretching and exercises to recover faster. There are a lot of exercises and stretches that you may perform, and may include-

• Neck stretches,
• Shoulder stretches,
• upper back stretches,
• mid back stretches, and
• lower back stretches

You may find the above list awkward because Neck strengthening exercises must be gradually linked to the Neck only. But, since neck pain can create other issues like back pain, shoulder pain, or upper or lower body part pain, it is important to take care of other body parts while exercising.

How to warm up before starting Neck strengthening exercises?

The first and most important thing is to take care of the problem area. You may perform a little dynamic warm-up before participating in the mobility exercises. Before you start your workout, you must prepare your muscles, ligaments, and joints. This may add a dynamic state to your muscles and help you warm up before indulging in the exercises. You can perform at least 5-10 minutes of the warmup, like cycling, walking, or gentle jogging.There is the part of the warmup called static stretch- where you may hold one part of the body for a long time- which helps to strengthen the flexibility and maintain the range of motion. Such stretches should be left until after your workout and the more dynamic warm-up routine beforehand.This is because the prolonged static stretch can temporarily reduce your muscular strength and may reduce your reaction time and overall performance. If you want to add the static stretch to your warmup routine, you can try the same for at least 10-20 seconds. Otherwise, you can leave the same until your workout is complete. Also, Read 10 Exercises for knee pain to Reduce Knee Pain?

Cure shoulder & neck Pain With 8 At-Home Exercises -

The following exercises may help you retain flexibility even at your workplace.

1. Neck roll -

This stretching is good for the upper neck area. You may stand in the forward direction and begin your neck tilting in the right direction. You may feel relaxed after you move your Neck in one direction.

• After a break of two seconds, slowly move your Neck in the counterclockwise direction.
• Pause for a second, reach your left shoulder, and complete the same step with the left portion of the Neck.
• Complete the Neck stretching where you ended and repeat the step to move the Neck in counterclockwise and clockwise directions.
• You can repeat the stretching about 2-3 times.

2. Shoulder roll -

This stretching is good for the shoulders and the upper back. You can stand with your arms down to your sides. Now, roll your shoulders in a circular motion and complete at least 5-rotations. Then, complete 5 rotations forward. You can repeat the stretching about 2-3 times and maintain the ratio with both the left and right shoulder.

3. Arm circles -

This one is meant to be good for shoulders. To perform this, you may stand out in the direction with your arms in the outward direction. Put your arms parallel to the floor and the palms facing the earth. Slowly and gradually, circle your arms forward and try to make small circles the first time and eventually increase the circle's diameter. You can repeat the stretching at least 20 times. You can also reverse the motion and maintain stretching about 20 times again.

4. The overhead arm reaches -

Since the Neck is only the small portion of the body that connects the shoulders, face, and back portion, you must be careful while performing any Neck strengthening exercises. Moreover, this stretching is good for the upper back and shoulders. To perform the same, you can sit on the chair with your face on the floor. Now, extend your arm above the head and reach the left portion of your body. Bend your body or torse until you feel the stretch in your right shoulder and lat. Return to the starting portion and repeat the stretching at least 5 times. Do the same stretching with your left side or arm and try to reach the left portion of your torso. Also, Read Top 5 Exercises To Reduce Thigh Fat.

5. Chair rotation -

This stretching is good for the upper, mid, and lower back. Try to sit sideways on the chair, so your right side rests against the chair's back. Keep your legs stationary, and rotate the torso to the right while reaching the back of the chair with your hands.

• Hold your upper body, stretch your arms deeper, and loosen your muscles.
• Hold the position for at least 10 seconds and repeat the stretching thrice.

6. Cat-Cow -

This stretching is good for the lower and the mid back. Keep your Neck neutral while performing the same. Place your palm under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

• Inhale for a second and maintain your breath until you finish the stretching.
• Tuck your pelvis, round out your mid back, draw a navel toward your spine, and drop your head to relax while your Neck may reduce the pain.
• After 3-5 seconds, while maintaining the position, exhale and return to the neutral spine position.
• Now, turn your face towards the sky, allowing your back to sink, and hold the position for 3-5 seconds.
• Try to repeat the position five times. This will help you with complete stretching and strengthening of the muscles.

7. Knee to chest -

This stretching is good for the lower back. Try to lie on the floor with your face up. Bend your left leg and then bring your chest. Hold the position for five seconds and then release. Repeat the stretching with your left leg and complete the sequence at least three to five times.

8. Thoracic extension -

Neck strengthening exercises should include exercises related to the back, Neck, and shoulder so that they may provide support to the small neck portion. Try this strengthening with a roller foam or a chair for the best results. If you use a roller foam, try maintaining the position with your thoracic spine. Now, allow your glutes to fall on either side while extending the arms above the head and deepen the stretching. If you are using a chair, let your body fall over the back of the chair. You can also extend your arms above your head to stretch deeper. Hold the position for at least five seconds and repeat the stretching three times. Also, Read #LadiesAndBabies: Post-Pregnancy Exercise for New Moms

Conclusion-

Neck and back pain can be frustrating, especially when you need to go out for any necessary work and your pain is hampering what you need to perform. Although neck and back pain can be treated at home, you can perform daily stretching and strengthening exercises. However, the recovery period for each person is different, and you should try a simple pose so that it may have a long-lasting impact on your body. Among the various Neck strengthening exercises mentioned above, you can try at least three days or can seek advice from your nearby physical therapist, who may help you with the complete recovery of your pain. Also, Read 8 Exercises & Stretches for Tailbone Pain Relief Quickly