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.
   
   

Simple Exercises to Combat Neck Pain and Tension in the Shoulders

Many people have desk jobs where they are hunched over their desk, with their shoulders hunched up looking over paperwork. Often they come home with neck pain and suffer daily. They have muscle spasms in their neck, upper back and shoulders.
A couple of months ago, Denmark's National Research Centre for the Working Environment, released the results of their study into what really helps people with tense shoulders.

The researchers asked volunteers to exercise (cycling), or do exercises aimed at the trapezius muscles.

Others were told not to change their behaviour.
The strength exercises below are what worked. Do them three times per week - the routine takes under five minutes - and like the volunteers in the study, your neck pain should be reduced by an enormous 80%.

When you are doing these exercises, you should keep your knees slightly bent throughout the movements. You should use dumbbells of 2-5 lbs (if you don't have dumbells use a bottle of water or a can of vegetables). You should repeat until your muscles are exhausted which should happen at some point between 8-12 repetitions. When the weight becomes easy, move onto a heavier one.
Here is the exercise routine:
● Shrug. Hold your arms at the sides, holding weights and palms facing in. Keeping your arms straight, pull shoulders up to your ears, pause for a second and lower.
● Bend forward so your chest faces the floor, arms hanging down, palms facing inwards to each other holding weights. With elbows slightly bent, squeeze shoulder blades and raise arms to your sides, parallel to the floor. Hold in this position, pause and then lower.
● Stand with your palms in front of thighs and facing legs. Bend your elbows to the sides and pull weights up to about collarbone level. Pause, then lower.

Visit Arc4life to learn stretching and strengthening neck exercises

Image Source: Janet Travell, MD and David Simons, MD text "Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. volume 1

Exercises for the Neck - Strengthening

Exercises specifically for strengthening the neck muscles are also called Isometric exercises. Isometric exercise is a type of exercise involving the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint. In simple terms this means that in these exercises the length of the muscle does not change. As you continue to do these strengthening exercises for the cervical spine you will gain strength in your neck. Over time you should be able to increase the force and number of times you are able to perform the exercises. Here are 4 simple exercises you can do to strengthen the muscles in your neck:

1. Press your palms against your forehead and push against each other, resisting motion. Hold this position for 5 seconds and repeat this exercise 3 times.














2. With this next cervical strengthening exercise place your hand against the side of your head. Try to bring to your ear to your shoulder, resisting the motion. Repeat this exercise on the other side. Hold each position for 5 seconds and when finished relax slowly.















3. Cup both hands against the back of your head. Attempt to push your head back, resisting the motion. Hold this position for 5 seconds, and when finished relax slowly.
4.
In the final cervical strengthening exercise, put your right hand against the right temple. Attempt to turn your chin to your right shoulder, resisting the motion. Repeat this on the left side. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax slowly. Do this neck exercise 3 times.
Read Stretching Exercises for the Neck here.



NJ
Visit us at Arc4life.com
Join our Free Newsletter at Arc4life: The Healthy Back and Neck eNewsletter- Read March 2008
Arc4life is an Ehow expert on health related issues. Read our eHow to Articles here: Ehow Arc4life Articles
Contact NJ via email: infoarc4life.com
Subscribe to this Blog via FeedBurner

Exercises for the Neck - Cervical Stretching

Stretching your cervical muscles is very important. Stretching exercices for the neck will Restore and increase range of motion in the neck. In the cervical spine, we are looking to increase range of motion in Flexion, Extension, Lateral Flexion and Rotation. Here are four simple exercises you can do everyday:

1. The First neck exercise is called Cervical Flexion (bring your chin to your chest) and Cervical Extension (look up to the ceiling). You want to start by tucking your chin in and gently bringing your head foward and attempting to touch the chin to the chest. Next, gently bend the head backwards as far as it will go. Repeat this exercise 5 times.


2. The next neck exercise is called Lateral Flexion. Bring your right ear to your right shoulder as far as you are able to. Do not rotate or turn your head when you are doing this neck stretch. Then bring your left ear to the left shoulder. Repeat this for 5 times


3. Next part of the program is called Rotation of the Cervical Spine. In this exercise you want to turn your head to the right as far as you possibly can, trying to bring your chin over your shoulders. When you are doing this neck exercise, do not bring up your shoulders. Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds. Next do this on the left side of the neck and repeat for 5 times.



4. For the last part of the neck stretching exercise you want to stand with you feet shoulder width apart and place your hands behind your head. Bend from side to side, making sure to bend only with the upper back area and not with the waist or hips. Try to reach the upper elbow to the ceiling. Hold each movement for 3-5 seconds. Now do the same thing with the left side.
5. Standing with your feet apart shoulder length, clasp your hands behind your back, and pull downward toward the floor with your hands. Take a deep breath in and stand on your toes and look at the ceiling while exerting the downward pull. Hold this stance for 3-5 seconds, then exhale slowly. Relax and repeat 5 times.