This video is going to share how to rehabilitate your neck a little bit, help you reduce neck pain, and help you increase your range of motion. But also to try and help you reverse “text neck”. This has become more of a problem recently. People have been carrying their neck too far forward. They are causing more arthritic changes in their neck over time.
There are a couple of simple fixes. The first thing we want to do is try to help bring the head back on the torso is neck retraction exercises. Keep your eyes on the same plain, ankles against the wall, buttocks and shoulders against the wall as well. Bring your head back creating a “double chin” being mindful to keep your eyes on the same plain. Do this 20 times in the morning and 20 times at night. This will help retract your head on your torso, but it will also strengthen your upper back muscles (they will be a little achy as your body gets used to it.)
Secondly you want to use a wedge. A wedge is a foam fulcrum that helps us rebuild the protective arch in your neck. If you do not have a wedge, if you are not a patient in our office, you can also use a pool noodle. This will also help rebuild that protective arch in your neck. It’s called a protective arch because it actually helps reduce arthritic activity and degenerative changes in your neck.
Thirdly, you want to make sure you DO NOT DO exercises that make you move your neck too far back, and too far to the sides (rotational exercises).
Lastly, you want to get some movement in your neck, not by neck exercises. You need to go for a walk and do things to encourage movement in those joints. The movement of the vertebrae pump water into your discs keeping them fat and healthy, which will keep the vertebrae off those sensitive nerves.