How to Stretch Your Neck

Basic Neck Stretches

Stand or sit with good posture. You may stretch in a standing position, with your feet at shoulder width apart. Alternatively, sit in a straight-backed chair with your knees bent 90 degrees and your hands on your thighs. Your back should not touch the back of the chair. In either position, align your shoulders over your hips, and your ears over your shoulders.

Tuck your chin down. Bring your chin down toward your chest to stretch the back of your neck. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds, then return to the neutral position. These stretches should be pain free. Do not push past the point of mild discomfort. If you need more support, hold the back of your neck with your hands.

Tilt your chin upward. Lift your chin toward the ceiling to stretch the front of your neck. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds, then relax and lower your chin.

Stretch to the right and left shoulder. Keep your shoulders stable and tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder, looking straight ahead. Hold the stretch for up to 20 seconds, then tilt your left ear to your left shoulder and hold for another 20 seconds.

Turn your head right and left. Rotate your neck to the right, looking straight ahead over your right shoulder (or as close as you can comfortably get). Once again, hold this for 20 seconds. Relax, turn your head to the left, and hold for a final 20 second stretch. If you reach the limit of your motion and the stretch feels comfortable, push your head gently with your hand to increase the stretch.

Try hanging your head to fix mild stiffness. This is a less common exercise, and not typically recommended for people with serious neck problems. A "forward head bend" can feel good for everyday aches and pains, though, since it gives your spine a break from holding up your head. Here's how to try it: Keeping your back straight, hinge forward at the hips and reach for the floor. If reaching for the floor is uncomfortable, rest your hands on your thighs or shins. With your head hanging down, try the chin-tilting exercises (up and down), and the rotation exercises (looking left and right).

Repeat the stretch daily. One or two stretching sessions a day are usually enough. If you want to stretch more often, ramp this up slowly or consult a doctor or physical therapist. In some cases, stretching too much can overtax your neck. If the stretching felt good and did not increase pain, you can try holding each stretch for 30–60 seconds next time.

Track your progress. Once your muscles no longer feel tight, stop stretching except when needed, typically two or three times a week. Most neck pains should improve rapidly with stretching. Visit a doctor if they last more than a week or two, or if symptoms get worse. A burner, or stinging sensation along one side of the neck and shoulder, can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks.

Consult a doctor for serious injuries. If you injured your neck in an accident, or if your symptoms extend to your arm, visit a doctor before stretching. If you have additional symptoms, check the Warnings section below for more advice. For a less serious injury, gentle exercise is probably more effective than rest. As a general rule, stretching is a good idea as long as it doesn't hurt.

Apply heat (optional). A warm compress or heating pad on the neck reduces stiffness and makes stretching easier. However, if the pain began in the last two or three days, avoid heat and wait until after the stretching to apply ice. During this early stage, you want to cool the area down to reduce swelling. One easy way to apply heat is to stretch under a stream of warm water in the shower.

Stretching Specific Muscles

Stretch your chest and shoulder muscles. These muscles often become tight along with your neck, especially if the problem is related to bad posture. If these areas feel stiff, try this quick exercise to loosen up before the other stretches: Stand with your feet together about two feet (0.6 meters) from a corner. Raise your elbows to shoulder height, with your forearms straight above them. Lean your forearms against the two walls. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders, but do not feel pain. Support your weight mostly with your legs, not your arms. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

Exercise the scalene muscles. These muscles extend along the side of your neck, down to your collarbone. Besides improving neck flexibility, strengthening these muscles can aid with breathing problems, since they lift the rib cage. Here's one exercise to target your scalene muscles: Sit up straight at the edge of a chair, with your chin pulled back to center your ears over your shoulders. Grip the edge of the chair with your right hand to stabilize yourself. If you need to, place your left hand over your right collarbone to keep it flat. Tilt your ear toward your left shoulder. Optionally, stretch further by raising your chin slightly, and turning your head toward your left shoulder. Hold for 30–60 seconds, then repeat with the other side.

Focus on your traps to treat chronic headaches. The trapezius muscles over your shoulder blades are important for controlling head movements. Constant tension here may cause headaches. You can stay right in your chair to exercise these: Grip the edge of the chair again with your right hand. Rotate your head toward your left shoulder. (It's important to do this first.) Bring your chin down toward your chest. Place your left hand on top of your head and gently press toward the left shoulder. For a greater stretch, lean your torso slightly to the left as well. Hold for up to a minute, and repeat for the other side.

Stretch your levator scapula after long periods of immobility. The name of this muscles sounds like "levitate the scapula" (shoulder blade) because that's exactly what it does. Tension here is often the cause of neck pain from sitting in one position, especially if you feel a tender spot at the top of your shoulder blade. Here's how to stretch it: Stand or sit with a wall on one side. Bring the elbow nearest to the wall up above your shoulder. Rest it against the wall. Turn your head away from the wall and tuck your chin down. You should feel the back of your neck stretch. Use your free hand to pull your head slightly further in the same direction. As always, stay here for 30–60 seconds before trying the other side.

Strengthening Your Neck and Shoulders

Decide when to try these exercises. Weak or tight muscles can worsen your posture and fail to properly support your neck. Working on these may reduce the chance of the neck pain recurring. Once you can perform these exercises without pain, schedule them every other day. The day off is important to give your muscles time to rebuild.

Stand with your spine against a wall. Stand against a wall or doorjamb. Place your feet about 3 inches (7.5 cm) out from the base of the wall. You may sit against a straight-backed chair instead, if it has a headrest. Take advantage of this when you have a moment during a long drive.

Gently lower your chin. Allow your chin to drop down toward your throat. This should stretch the back of your neck, and tighten the small muscles around your throat. Feel the large muscles on the front of your neck. If they are tense, lift your head again and lower your chin more slowly. The large muscles should stay relaxed, while the small muscles between them should tighten.

Bring the back of your head against the wall. Without raising your chin, move your head back so it touches the wall. If this causes pain, pull your head back as far as you can without pain. This is a sign of forward head posture, which you can correct with other exercise and lifestyle changes.

Repeat this motion. Hold this position for ten seconds, then relax. Repeat this ten times, then stop. You can perform this exercise several times a day. After you practice this exercise, you may not need to have a wall or headrest behind you.

Exercise with head nods and head lifts. Here's one final set of exercise that can strengthen your neck and nearby muscles. While you can't try this one on the go, some people find it easier than the exercise above: Lie down on a firm surface, with a rolled up towel supporting your neck. Gently bring your chin down toward your throat. Keep the back of your head against the floor, and the back of your neck against the towel. Repeat several times. If you can do so without pain, repeat this same nodding motion while lifting the back of your head off the floor. Do not lift your neck off the towel.