This common complaint, normally caused by poor posture during routine activities, can be controlled with physiotherapy treatment.

Reading, lifting objects or sleeping in a bad position can lead to pain in the cervical spine. Normally, it is caused by muscle strain or tension and is not usually serious nor necessarily related to any illness.

When this discomfort appears, we usually feel pain in the area of the neck, accompanied by stiffness and certain difficulty for movement, and sometimes even dizziness. Sometimes it is a localised pain, but other times it extends to other parts of the body, such as the arms, head or back. It is also possible to feeling tingling and for the fingers to go numb, pain at the nape of the neck and even nausea.

8 physiotherapy exercises

Physiotherapy treatment can relieve and control this type of discomfort. It allows the cervical muscles to relax and helps to improve cervical mobility. These are some simple exercises that will help you with your pain:

LIE DOWN ON YOUR BACK, PUT YOUR FEET ON THE FLOOR AND BEND YOUR KNEES:

1: rest the back of the neck against the floor. Do the same with the rest of your spine. Maintain the position for a few seconds, then repeat.

2: draw circles with your head without lifting your shoulders from the floor (the back must be relaxed). Then rest your head on the floor. Move your chin towards your shoulder (you can feel the muscles at the back of the neck stretching). Repeat this exercise on both sides.

STANDING OR SEATED:

3: turn your head as far as you can (without forcing) towards one side and the other, as if looking at your shoulders. Bring your ear towards one shoulder then the other (don’t lift them). Lower your chin to your chest. Then, let your head fall back. Finally, draw circles with your head. You will notice all of the muscles in your neck stretching.

4: place your hands on the nape of your neck. Try to push your head against your hands, and resist the push.

5: inhale, lift your shoulders and contract your neck.

6: open your legs if you are standing. When releasing the air from each breath, bend downward and relax your entire spine. Descend as far as you can, don’t force your spine. Then, stand back up, little by little.

SEATED:

7: swing your arms forward, up and backward. First make circles that move clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

8: lift your arms sideways until you reach shoulder height. Once extended, lift them energetically and then lower them to a vertical position.

Sources:

• Clínica Universidad de Navarra
• United States National Library of Medicine (Medline Plus)

This post is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)