Neck and shoulder pain takes a while to be felt, but if not treated quickly, it might also be a while before the pain goes away. Other than taking extra precautions to ensure that you don’t put too much pressure on your shoulders and neck, there are simple stretches that you can do to lessen a tight neck and scrunched shoulders.

Stretches can help the tight muscles loosen up a bit and over time, you will find yourself feeling much better. While most of these stretches sound simple, you should be careful when performing them because if you overdo it, you will end up straining your neck or shoulder more. These stretches take less than 1 minute to be done each and as soon as you are done, you will feel as if you have just gone through a nice massage.

Neck rolls to release neck pressure

By first tilting your head to the right and rolling it down slowly, from your chin to your chest, and then tilting your head to the left and rolling it down will help release the pressure from your neck. Repeat each direction five times. It might feel a little strained at first, but as you do it more, it gets better. Do not roll your head and neck to the back as this will only increase pressure on the cervical spine.

Shoulder rolls to lessen the pain of strained shoulders

First, you need to be in a position where your body is in proper alignment. Roll your shoulders up and down lightly in a way that it does not make things worse. Perform this step 10 times and then roll your shoulders forward 10 times.

Stretching your neck

Neck stretches are beneficial if your neck has been strained for a while now. What you need to do to lessen the pressure is to bend your right ear to your right shoulder. Place your right hand over your left temple to add a little pressure and gently pull your head to the right. Your left hand should rest at your side, behind your back or hold gently to the bottom of the chair you are sitting on to make the stretch work. Hold on to the position for 30 seconds and perform the same actions on the left side of your head.

Stretching the back of your neck

You can do this simple stretch while standing up or out on a jog. A standing stretch offers the sides of your neck a deep pressure relief, it only requires you to stand with your feet and hip a bit apart and your arms by your sides. Both your hands should be behind your back with your right hand holding on to your left wrist. With your right hand in place, straighten your left arm gently and pull it away from your back lightly. If you would like to increase the stretch on your neck, lower slowly your right ear for 30 seconds toward your shoulder. As soon as you are done, perform the same stretch on the other side for 30 seconds.

Neck release in a sitting position

On a chair with your feet flat on the ground or while sitting on the floor in a preferably cross-legged position, start by placing your left hand on the top of your head and gently tilting your head to the left. To increase the stretch, just use your hand to apply gentle pressure to your head. While performing this stretch, your right arm should be next to your right knee or it could also be along the right side of your chair. If you want to feel a deeper stretch, just hold on to your right knee if you are sitting on the floor or to the seat of the chair if you are sitting. This helps to isolate the neck stretch from the other side and it also helps to stabilise your torso. Perform this stretch for 30 seconds on each side.

Cow Face Pose or Gomukhasana

Gomukhasana is a famous yoga pose that is known as the Cow Face Pose stretch, which helps release pressure in your shoulders, upper back, arms and lower back. It might be a little painful and tricky to try it out at first, but once you get used to it, you will feel much better. First, you must be seated, preferably on the floor and in a kneeling position with your back straighten out. Bend your right elbow and drop your right arm down your back. Your left shoulder should be rotated forward so that your left hand can reach up to your right hand up your back. Your fingertips on your left hand will be able to touch your right hand’s fingertips. In the beginning, it might be hard to do, but it all depends on how aligned your shoulders are. The more you perform this stretch, the easier it will be for your left hand to shake or grasp your right hand behind your back. You can perform this stretch by switching for both arms, just by switching its positions.

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