7 Kinds of Neck Exercises

Active Range of Motion

• Active range of motion, or ROM, exercises for your neck are easy to start with. Your pain and stiffness may significantly or even completely resolve by doing simple ROM exercises daily. Perform neck flexion and extension exercises by bending your neck forward to put your chin to your chest and then bending your neck backward to lift your chin towards the ceiling. For lateral flexion, bend sideways right and left to bring your ear down towards your shoulder. For rotation ROM, rotate your head to the right or left without bending it. Perform your ROM at least 10 times in each direction up to once per hour for pain relief and improved mobility.

Isometrics

• You can begin to strengthen your neck muscles with isometric, self-resisted exercises. Once you have established safe ROM exercises and have full movement of your neck, begin isometrics. For neck flexion, hold your hand in front of your forehead. Hold steady so that your head and hand are resisting each other without moving. Place your hands behind your head and push backwards with your head against your hands, which you should not move, to tone neck extensors. You can resist lateral flexion by pushing against the side of your head while you try to bring your ear to your shoulder.

Towel Exercises

• For more advanced exercises, you can add external resistance. Have an assistant hold a resistance band or towel around your head. Resist any movement you are making with your neck, such as flexion, extension or lateral flexion. You can do resisted isometrics this way, because your helper's can hold the towel steady and provide enough resistance so you are not able to move your head. Your muscles, however, are still contracting, thereby resulting in an isometric exercise.

Resisted Exercises

• Alternatively, you can do active resisted exercises with a resistance band while you move. For this type of exercise, have your assistant hold the band to resist you as you move. For example, when doing neck flexion, have your helper hold the band behind you, with the center of the band wrapped around your forehead as you actively bend your neck forward. Make sure your assistant does not pull so hard that you cannot move, but pulls just hard enough to resist you as your head moves forward. You can also do this exercise for lateral flexion or extension by moving the position of the band and moving the spot where your helper stands to resist your movement.

Dynamic and Oblique Exercises

• There are other types of neck exercises you can do. You may do an oblique exercise as a prolonged stretch to reduce headaches caused by a stiff neck. Start by bending your neck forward in neck flexion. Keeping your head forward, rotate your neck to the right or left. You should feel a stretch along your upper trapezius muscles as you hold the position for at least 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times on each side.

  Do an X-shaped movement with your head by moving your head from behind your left shoulder over to the front of your right shoulder. Move your head to the front of your left shoulder and then move your head to the back of your right shoulder.

  You can also perform a dynamic neck elevation movement by trying to hit a soft plastic ball with the top of your head or forehead. Lengthen your neck upwards and try to keep the ball in the air using your head only, like soccer players.

Risks with All Neck Exercises

• Because your neck is designed to protect your upper spinal cord, any neck exercise can have some risk. There are some congenital deformities as well as injuries or misalignments that can result from a disease process, injury or aging. So, even simple ROM exercises could cause severe damage including paralysis in some circumstances. Talk to your doctor before starting any neck exercise routine, especially if you have pain or significant stiffness. You may need physical therapy to safely guide you through appropriate exercises.