10 Stretch Poses To Help Relieve Shoulder/Neck Pain
Neck Pain
In an age where most people spend a good chunk of their week hunched over a screen, neck and back issues are becoming some of the most common ailments that people deal with. While preventative measures like better desk setups are the best approach, there’s only so much that can be done.
Luckily, yoga brings a host of new solutions to modern physiological problems. The following are the ten best poses for tackling shoulder and neck pain that you can do every day to alleviate any symptoms; make sure to hold each for three to five breathes.
1. Ear to Shoulder/Neck Rolls
Probably the most popular and well-known stretch for relieving neck tension, the Yogandha equivalent takes it a little bit further.
Sit upright and relax your shoulders, and push your chin against your chest to straighten your spine.
Next, gently roll your ear towards your shoulders - use one hand to push your head, and use the other hand to gently push your opposite shoulder in the other direction.
This is an extremely delicate stretch that doesn’t require an amount of serious pressure - the opposing stressors and the sensitivity of neck and shoulders muscles will make you feel it right away.
3. Cross Body Shoulder Stretch
The cross body shoulder stretch is another classic stretch. When accompanied with yoga breathing exercises, it is a great way to release tension in your shoulder muscles. Muscle tension in the deltoids and triceps are a common reason for your shoulders and trapezius to clench together, and this pose is great at releasing the entire system.
As always, start in a comfortable upright seated position and gently pull your arm across your body until you feel a stretch in your shoulder. Hold this stretch for at least three breaths (inhale and exhale), then release, and switch to the other shoulder. This is a great pose to do throughout the day versus just during a Yoga session since you can do it from almost anywhere, and it brings near-instant relief.
2. Seated Forward Bend
Sit upright with your legs aligned perfectly straight. Take a deep breath inwards and fold forward, trying to cup your heels - make sure your chest touches your knees or gets as close as possible. Now, here’s the important part - tuck your chin inwards while rolling forward, and hold that stretch, while slowly pulling your shoulders in.
Slowly count to five, exhale, and pull back out. This is a great pose because it’s intended to align your neck with the forward, natural motion of your upright spine.
• Muscular tension symptoms related to muscle or joint pain. They include tendon pains, muscle pull, jaw pain, and others.
• Mood changes, including depression, anxiety, anger, and irritability.
• Increase heart palpitations, sweaty palms, and rapid heartbeat.
• Digestive issues such as flatulence, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, and others.
6. Cat/Cow Stretch
Not the most flattering stretch (both in name or in movement), but this pose directly targets and stretches both your neck and shoulder muscles. Start in a tabletop position with your back arched and look up at the ceiling (cow position) - then, slowly, round your back and shoulders forward and lower your chin until its nearly touching your chest (cat position). Alternate on inhale/exhale for at least eight breaths.
3. Chronic Stress
This is a regular type of stress that often leaves the affected person feeling fatigued and drained. Chronic stress can even lead to massive burnout if left unmanaged. The constant stressful situation can leave the body in a worse state than ever before. This means that the body may end up staying triggered for an indefinite period of time.
It should be noted that this type of stress destroys not only the mind but also the body and eventually, life. It’s normally caused by constant stressful conditions such as family quarrels, unhealthy working environment, violent relationships, traumatic childhood experiences, and others. It’s normally internalized and tends to remain painful even after years.
Symptoms of Chronic Stress
• Low self-esteem
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Headaches and migraines
• Heart diseases
• Blood vessel problems
• Elevated blood pressure
Managing Chronic Stress
• Engaging in Regular Physical Activities: exercising regularly can help to improve tension and relax the mind.
• Meditation: constant meditation helps reduce stress and build resilience.
• Healthy diet: this is crucial in improving your overall health and reducing the level of stress hormones in the body.
• Professional Counseling: It will help you deal with your mental health and relationships. Besides that, you will get empowered on how to deal with your career, education, and overall health and wellness.
• Supportive Close Relationships: build a close relationship with trusted family members and friends. They play a significant role to help you cope with stressful situations.
4. Episodic Acute Stress
There are those people who regularly experience crises. Their lives are usually in some form of chaos, and they have to live with constant tension. Everything in their lives literally goes wrong. These people usually end up suffering from episodic acute stress.
Symptoms of Episodic Acute Stress
• A constant state of tension
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Getting over-aroused
• Anger outbursts
• Short-tempered
• Hostility
Managing Episodic Acute Stress
• Finding fulfillment in your career, relationships, and general life.
• Making every day count even the bad ones.
• Take time off to relax, re-strategize, and recharge.
Note that it’s possible to still categorize stress as:
1. Emotional: caused by relationships which may involve the loss of a loved one, divorce, and breakups.
2. Physical stress: it’s caused by physical events which may affect the body. They include injuries, lack of adequate sleep, or demanding job schedules.
3. Traumatic stress: it’s caused by traumatic events which may lead to physical or emotional pain and sometimes even death.
