To help strengthen your neck muscles, these are some of the exercises that I recommend to my patients. These should be done on a daily basis. You do not have to do them all at once, but rather multiple times throughout the day will help to strengthen the muscles, increase mobility in your neck, and prevent neck pain.
Posture.
- Head up – looking over the horizon
- Chest with a balloon attached – lift your chest up.
- Hips over the knees
Ranges of motion – always do pure movements in the neck and back. Also do not whip your head in doing these. Never go past a point of pain.
- Neck – look up, then down; look to the right, then left; bend your right ear to your right shoulder, then your left ear to your left shoulder. Great exercise to do in the shower.
Isometric or resistance exercises for the neck:
- With your head in a neutral position: push the right side of your head with your right hand, but don’t move your head. Hold for a count of three, relax, repeat 5 times.
- Do the same for your left hand.
- Do the same with both pals on your forehead.
- Do the same with both hands laced behind your head. (Make sure your chin is up just a little.)