Are You Straining Your Neck By Accident?

Exercise for your Health, But do it safely
don't injure your neck muscles in the process

We talked over the years about many ways you can strain your neck. Using that notebook on your lap, texting all the time, etc... Today I want to focus on the exercise you do, "for your health".

The first exercise is abdominals. Doing abs is great, and important. What isn't good, is pulling on the head and neck when doing sit-ups or crunches.

Next, are exercise where you push and pull behind the head. These kinds of exercises (pull downs, pull ups,...) Push the neck and head forward. Not only can one more easily strain the neck, it forces you into a poor posture.

Last, is just using too much weight. Trying to lift too much forces you to strain your neck muscles as well as work the muscles you are focused on.

Additional Reading Resources:

• Exercises for the neck that will help to loosen up the muscles
• Stretch the Trapezius Muscles: Get Relief from Upper Back and Neck
• Check out the #1 chiropractic neck pillow: great for neck pain and a good night's sleep
• What to do if you are waking up with a stiff neck.
• Learn More About the Neck Muscles

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units. Products for pain relief.

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The Importance of using a Good Neck Pillow for Sleeping to Prevent Stiff Neck

Waking up with a stiff neck is not fun at all. It can only ruin a great day, but it can affect all the activities you planned for that day. One way to make sure you are getting the best nights sleep is to use a good cervical orthopedic neck support pillow. It can make a big difference and make sure that your neck is positioned correctly. Basically you want a neck pillow that will conform to the cervical spine shape: A C curve. This is the best sleeping position for your neck. The cervical traction neck pillow is an example of a great neck pillow for sleeping. It has two distinct sides to the pillow:

• Support Side of the pillow- support for the cervical spine and support for the neck muscles
  
• Traction Side of the pillow- this will give you a gentle stretch in your neck while you are sleeping. This is particularly good if you have arthritis of the neck, a disc herniation or bulge, or even stiffness of the neck muscles

With an effective neck pillow, you can experience a deep sound sleep because your body is able to relax. Muscle spasms are decreased because pressure is relieved when your head and neck are supported correctly. Blood flows better through relaxed muscles, thus enhancing circulation. A good neck pillow can even reduce snoring and allowing for easier breathing while sleeping because you air passages are unrestricted.

Enough cannot be said about using the right and correct neck pillow for sleeping at night. Check out Arc4life's Neck Pillow Reviews to help you choose the best neck pillow for sleeping.

Visit Arc4life.com for your online selection of cervical support neck pillows, orthopedic pain relief products and Home traction units



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How to reduce the chances of getting a stiff neck...

A Stiff Neck.... Horrible especially when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is going to be one painful day. You are stiff, your neck hurts, you cannot turn your head, even brushing your teeth hurts. We get questions about how to treat a stiff neck all the time. Today, I want to talk about how to reduce the chances of getting a stiff neck. I speak from experience and from emails that i have received from customers in pain...

1. Don't use too many pillows when you sleep - It is not healthy to sleep with 3-4 pillows under your neck. Why would you do that? The goal is not to read in bed, but to SLEEP comfortably in your bed. Plus it puts your neck in an uncomfortable position, creating tension in the muscles and nerve irritation
   
2. Don't sleep on your stomach or in an awkward position - Granted some nights you have had a few extra drinks, maybe your passed out wherever you ended up- Lying on the couch or sprawled out on your bed on your stomach is not healthy for your neck. If you put your neck in that twisted position for 8 hours (maybe longer), you are putting undue pressure on your neck structures and your head. Furthermore, sleeping on your stomach distorts the pelvis and results in excessive strain on the joints, muscles and nerves of your lower back.
   
   
3. Finally, treat sleep as an important part of your day- With proper sleep comes proper rest and healing for your body. Is is worth it for you to take a few extra steps to make sure your body is ready for a good nights sleep? I think so- its better than being in pain all day, not being able to check your blind spot, that's for sure.
   So get a good neck pillow to start. One solution is to get a good neck pillow for sleeping. Try to get a pillow with an indentation in the middle (this is where your head will rest). A good cervical support pillow and will put your neck into the proper position for sleeping, on your side or on your back. Then even if you do toss and turn, your neck will not be sore and stiff in the morning. So first things first, get a good cervical support pillow. Check out the cervical traction neck pillow at http://www.arc4life.com/ for a start. Here is great news article about how to choose the right neck pillow for you. Finally, think about doing some neck stretches in the morning. Cervical exercises are good for posture, keeping your neck flexible, and maintaining good range of motion.
   
   

Exercising your Abdominals: A Pain in the Neck?

How often do you go to a gym and watch someone do 100 sit ups with their head behind their neck, yanking it with each attempt to throw themselves upward to a seated position. There is a natural tendency to do this since it helps you lift up and the tendency will increase as your abs get tired. However, the push on your head will strain the muscles in the neck. This type of a motion can cause injury to the neck. There are 2 main reasons why people do sit ups incorrectly. Doing sit ups incorrectly causes you to pull your muscles forward, thus engaging the small muscles of the neck. These muscles in turn get fatigued and therefore people often pull on their neck while doing ab exercises. Another reason people hurt their neck is that do not have good exercise technique. Here are three ways to make sure you are not injuring your neck while doing theses import abdominal exercises which are very important for overall health.

• Place your fingers behind your ears, instead of clasping your hands behind your head. This will allow you to assist slightly when your neck fatigues, but prevent you from actually pulling on your head.
  
• Avoid jutting your head forward by keeping it in neutral position as you lift your head, neck and shoulders in unison. This will prevent excessive flexion of the cervical spine and reduce positional muscle imbalances.
  
• Place your tongue flat on the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth during abdominal movements performed while lying on your back. This practice has been taught to thousands of exercise professionals by certified neuromuscular therapist and industry leader Paul Chek. It is purported to engage the strap muscles in the front of the neck to assist in the movement while preventing biomechanical stress on the cervical spine.
  By following these simple tips during your abdominal training you'll keep your neck and upper spine healthy and be able to focus more on hitting those stomach muscles intensely. Then you can have a 6-pack with no neck pain !
  

Visit us at Arc4life.Read more about: Stretching and Strengthing Exercises for the Neck