Feeling an ache in your neck? Stiffness in movement, dull aching pain, backache are signs of aging of the spine in the cervical region. Take urgent action – strengthen the muscles of the problem area.
How to strengthen the muscles of the shoulder girdle and neck
• Ride a boat. Rowing strengthens the weakest part of the shoulder muscles – the one located behind the shoulder blades. If it is not sufficiently developed, the shoulders automatically move forward and you slouch. Do you have somewhere to go boating? Use a rowing machine or a rubber band that can be thrown over the bar. Or just slowly and carefully imitate the work of the oars.
• Feel free to shrug your shoulders if you don’t know the answer to a question you’ve been asked. This movement strengthens the shoulder and neck muscles. When no one sees you, do three sets of 10 such shoulder movements with short breaks.
• Sitting in front of the TV, reduce the shoulder blades. Straighten your back harder, as if you want to become a little taller. Keep your palms on your hips. Pull your shoulders back as much as possible, trying to connect your shoulder blades. Maintain this simple position throughout the entire commercial break, and then relax after it. Do this exercise at least twice a night.
• Returning from work, fill the golf course three-quarters with ordinary rice groats. Add 2 cinnamon sticks and a tablespoon of cloves to it. Tie the open end of the golf with a rubber band. Heat the resulting “sausage” in the microwave and then put it with a collar around your neck. This is a surprisingly pleasant aromatic remedy for aches in her and in her shoulders. Use it repeatedly until the spices release their fragrance.
• After 45 minutes of driving or in front of a computer, play turtle. When we drive a car or look at a monitor, we often lean head first, as if it brings us closer to a destination or the end of a job. The human head weighs approximately 4.5 kg, so this posture is a significant strain on the back of the neck. You will not have time to feel the muscle tension accumulated in it, as your head will ache. The following exercise helps to strengthen these muscles, and at the same time sit with the correct posture. Sitting, say, at the monitor, imagine yourself a real turtle pulling its head into its shell. Keeping your chin horizontal push your head back harder, straightening your neck. After sustaining the maximum tension of 5 s, relax. Repeat 10 times.
• Start every working day with this exercise. Sit on the edge of a chair with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Raise one arm above your head, and lower the other, turning your palms towards the body. Keeping your shoulders close to your ears, join your hands behind your back, feeling a stretch in your upper armpit and on the front of your lower shoulder. In parallel, you will feel the tension of the muscles on the back of the shoulders and in the upper back. Keep your hands connected for 2 s, then separate, reverse their position (upper – from below, lower – from above) and repeat. After 2 seconds, change the position of the hands again. Do a total of 20 repetitions. Then the same amount, but turning the palms so that they are directed from the back to the back. Finally, repeat the exercise, pressing your palms to your back. Each new position of the hands strengthens and stretches the shoulder muscles in different ways.
• Choose the right pillow. Much depends on your personal tastes, but, in general, those who like to sleep on their stomachs need a softer pillow, those who sleep on their backs need a harder pillow, those who sleep on their sides need a medium one. Too high a pillow bends the neck, narrowing the airways and causing snoring. To avoid this, sleep on a low pillow or put a roll under your neck. We advise you to pay attention to the bed.
• Do the “dog stretch” every morning and be sure to enjoy it. This yoga pose (asana) strengthens the shoulders while stretching the calf and pectoral muscles, hamstrings and spine. Get on all fours: palms under your shoulders, knees under your pelvis. Spread your fingers as wide as possible (middle finger pointing forward). Put your feet on tiptoe. Spread the shoulder blades, bringing the elbows together. Bend your back down. As you exhale, straighten your legs, lifting your pelvis so that your body forms an upside-down V. Relaxing your neck, hang your head between your arms. Do push-ups with your hands, shifting more weight to your feet and sinking into your heels. Continue to push the shoulder blades, bringing the elbows together. Stay like this for 5-10 breaths. Return to starting position. Repeat the exercise several times.
Computer Neck Syndrome

Stereotypical movements that are inevitable in long daily work at the computer, including the constant “clicking” with the mouse, clicking on the keyboard and turning the head either to it or to the monitor, sooner or later make the muscles of the arms, shoulders and neck painfully “tan”. Recently, various methods of preventing and treating the so-called “computer neck syndrome” have appeared – from massage to chiropractic manipulations, however, according to Charles Edwards II, scientific coordinator at the Maryland Spine Center, studies have proven the effectiveness of only three methods.
• Cardio at least 30 minutes three to four times a week. Regular aerobic exercise improves blood supply to the muscles, contributing to the rapid healing of their microtraumas, relieves stress and improves sleep. Try brisk walking.
• Weight loss. Excess fat not only spoils your posture, but also makes it difficult for the blood supply to the muscles, slowing down their healing. By daily consuming 250 kcal less and walking 20 minutes more, you can lose 450 g per week.
• To give up smoking. Studies have proven that regular smoking can cause any type of pain, including back and neck pain. Nicotine is toxic to all tissues of the body and can damage the vessels of the shoulders and neck, making it difficult for the blood supply to their muscles and spine.
Rubber band or hose
Look for this “projectile” for developing muscles, including shoulder and neck muscles, in sports stores, although, in principle, any strong and elastic tape will do, which can be replaced with a special expander with handles, even a spring one. The thing is light, portable, takes up almost no space. There will be five free minutes – pull the rubber. For example, stand with both feet in the middle of this bandage or hose, grasp its ends with your hands and lift them to the sides, overcoming the elastic resistance of the material. Great for strengthening the shoulders.