Six Best Neck Pain Stretches & Exercises When Working From Home
It’s no secret that humans were never meant to be sedentary. Unfortunately, this is the full-time reality of many, and the era of working from home has only exacerbated this trend. At home, you are not getting that (incidental) exercise you would normally get from travelling to work—whether you were cycling the whole way or walking from the car park to the office building. You likely have a smaller workspace, too, with poorer ergonomics all round. If you’re working at a laptop without access to an ergonomic keyboard or chair, this may force you into postures that are unhealthy to hold, especially for hours on end.
If you work in less-than-optimal conditions for prolonged periods, you may be placing undue pressure on your neck, shoulders, and back—and if it’s bad enough, such muscular tightening can result in tension headaches. Side effects of prolonged sitting include tight hips, shortened hamstrings, and weakened core and postural muscles. Unfortunately, there is no catch-all solution, but there are things you can do to help. To get you started, here are six of the best neck stretches and exercises you can do when working from home. They’re free, they don’t consume a lot of time, and—best of all—you can complete them almost anywhere.
- Chin tucks, which are fairly self-explanatory: tuck your chin, and ensure you’re keeping your chest elevated as you do so.
- Ear-to-shoulder stretches: align your ear with your shoulder, bend your head to the corresponding side, and then lower your ear to that shoulder. Once you’ve completed part 1, mirror this same action on the opposite side.
- Rounded upper back stretches: bring your chin to your chest as you round the upper back and stretch your arms forward.
- Doorway stretches, whose namesake is not to imply that a doorway is part of your body. Rather, the phrase alludes to framing your stretches around a doorway. To perform a doorway stretch, stand in a doorway corner, rest your hands at shoulder height on the doorframe or wall(s), and push the chest forward. You should feel a stretch here. If you don’t, keep moving forward until you do.
- Trunk rotations, which require a chair. If you’re sitting in a chair whilst working remotely, twist from your mid back to reach for the back of your chair, grasping it if possible. Twist the other way to repeat this action on the other side. Don’t lift your hip from the chair or else the exercise will be ineffective.
- Shoulder blade squeezes, which—again—are fairly self-explanatory. To perform shoulder blade squeezes, squeeze the shoulder blades together, but also strive to slide them towards the lower back.
As you complete your stretches and exercises, ensure you’re completing them twice daily, repeating each one eight times. This will give you the best defence against neck pain and tension headaches. Also, ensure that you breathe throughout your exercises and avoid sudden movements. Go too hard too fast and you run the risk of whiplash or other injuries.
As well as doing exercises targeted to the neck, shoulders, and upper back, you can also prevent neck pain by doing the following:
- Moving often, decreasing the likelihood of muscular stiffness
- Sitting or standing tall every quarter of an hour for five to ten seconds
- Using a workstation tailored to your ergonomic requirements
- Adding a keyboard and mouse to your laptop or tablet (if applicable), reducing strain
- Using a large monitor
- Sitting in an ergonomic chair
- Breathing—this may sound odd, but it’s common for breath to catch, especially if you’re completing stressful work. Deep breaths relax the muscles and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Applying cold or heat packs to painful areas for 10 minutes at a time (if applicable).
Armed with these strategies and six simple exercises, you can combat pain, reduce the chances of ‘workplace’ injury, retain a healthier posture, and reclaim strength in the neck/upper back muscles throughout the working day. If your pain is persisting despite your daily practice, this may indicate a deeper issue in the deeper tissue. Don’t hesitate to consult your physio for a closer examination.
