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Osteopath Sergey Starikov has developed a set of simple and pleasant exercises for neck pain – they will help even after serious injuries. You will feel relief immediately, but for a lasting effect, they must be repeated every day for three weeks.
1. Sitting bends
Sit comfortably on a chair, leaning against its back with the entire surface of the back. Relax your neck and shoulders. Tilt your head back so that your chin is pointing up. Return to starting position and repeat 5 times.
Then slowly tilt your head forward, trying to press your chin to your chest. Do not raise your shoulders or slouch. Also repeat 5 times.
Turn your head to the left as far as possible without discomfort, try to see the left shoulder. Return to the starting position and turn your head to the right. Do 5 reps on each side.
2. Twists with hands
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, spread your straight arms exactly to the sides, clench your hands into fists, and take your thumbs away, as if showing the “class!” sign. Turning your head to the left, raise your left thumb up, and lower your right thumb down.
Look at the thumb of your left hand and stay in this position for a few seconds to feel the stretch in the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle. Repeat the same on the other side. Do 5 repetitions.
3. Neck and shoulder stretch
Put your elbows and hands on the table. Lean forward with your neck and back slightly bent. Press your chin closer to your chest while straightening your spine.
You will feel the tension of the muscles between the shoulder blades and in the lower part of the neck. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds. Return to the starting position to rest a little, and repeat the exercise 4 more times.
4. Lifting the head
Lie on your back on a hard surface (such as a yoga mat). Raise your head off the floor an inch, leaving your shoulders on the floor. Hold for a few seconds and slowly lower your head.
Feel how, after prolonged tension, the muscles relax and the neck instantly stops hurting. Repeat five times. The task is to gradually bring the time when you keep your head up to a minute.
5. Head hanger
This way to relax overstressed neck muscles was discovered by the American surgeon Andrew Taylor Still, who is considered the founder of osteopathy. One day he fell asleep in the garden with his head resting on a children’s hanging swing. When he woke up half an hour later, he was surprised to find that his neck no longer hurt.
You can build such a structure at home from any fabric, fixing its ends, for example, on an ironing board. The harness should be at a height of 2-5 centimeters from the floor or other horizontal plane on which you lie, and be wide enough to fit the entire surface of the head.
You can swing it slightly so that it moves its head from side to side. Lie down like this for 10-15 minutes, observing the feeling of lightness in the neck and shoulders. At this time, you can read, but it’s better to just take a nap so that relaxation is complete.