Yes No Maybe

Should you be doing more advanced neck strengthening exercise to help prevent pain and maintain mobility?  Well the answer is YES NO MAYBE

To determine if you need to, or are capable of progressing to this exercise:

1. Your neck is pain free in all directions
2. you should have been doing the No Money Exercise for 6 weeks and can hold the “chin tuck” without dropping the head down.
3. the Cervical Isometrics are pain free and don’t feel like there is any challenge to it anymore.  Again, you should have been doing these for 6 weeks.

Have a look at the video above where I demonstrate what neck movements to check and how to be sure you are holding the “chin tuck”.

Yes No Maybe

This exercise is broken up into 3 sections.  To maintain balance in the neck muscles, you will need to do each component.

The No Money Exercise should be continued to maintain co-ordination with the upper back.

Yes

Start with lying on your back on your bed, or exercise bench with your head hanging back over the edge.  The top of your head should be pointing pretty well down at the floor.

Tuck the chin into the throat.  Then lift the head up to horizontal with the floor.

Repeat 10 x or until you can no longer maintain the chin tuck.  Stop if you experience any pain that’s more than exertion of exercise.

You will know if you aren’t doing it correctly if you feel like your chin is going to your chest.  To be sure, watch the video above right through for a demonstration.

No

Remain lying on the back.  Lift the head parallel to to the floor.

This time you are going to turn your head to the right, then return to the centre.  Pause for a second.  Then turn to the left, return to center and pause again.  This is 1 repetition.

Repeat 10 x or until you can no longer maintain the head in a position parallel to the floor.  Stop if you experience any pain that’s more than exertion of exercise.

Maybe

Continue on you back, head hanging back this time.

Lift the head to horizontal and at the same time toward the right shoulder.  Return to the head to the hanging back position. Then lift to horizontal and toward the left shoulder in a smooth continuous motion.

Repeat 10 x or until fatigue prevents you getting the head to the horizontal position as you lift up.

Summary: Yes No Maybe.

Do these exercises every second day to get best results.

To make sure you are getting these steps right, it’s important to watch the video above for demonstrations of the correct technique.

You may experience some post exercise soreness, but that’s an indication your are moving toward success.

If you have trouble turning your neck or pain that persists more than 24 hours, it’s a sign you the vertebrae in the neck aren’t moving properly.  It’s likely you need an adjustment.  Call us to make an appointment so you can get back on track as soon as possible.