If you work in an office and sit a lot, you know a stiff neck all too well. With these 19 simple neck exercises you can fight tension!
It pulls and tightens and pinches. Neck pain is terribly annoying and painful.
It is also known by the terms "stiff neck" or "cell phone neck." Whatever you call the pain in the neck: More and more people are affected by it.
According to statistics, every second person is affected at least once in his life. Most, however, much more often.
Table of contents
Especially those who work on the computer every day and or sit a lot could write an entire book about a strained neck.
If you're one of them, too, you should read this post about Neck pain exercises read well.
The exercises against neck tension work wonders :)
What are the most common causes of neck pain
The feeling of tension in the neck and back spreads rapidly.
Neck pain can thus extend to the neck, shoulders and often even to the arms and fingers within a very short time. Not infrequently, sufferers also get headaches from it.
Pain in the neck is often caused by sitting incorrectly. If you have poor posture - for example, a hollow back or slumped shoulders - you are greatly aided by tension. Later, this neck pain can also lead to problems in the lower back.
In fact, with the wrong posture comes a lot of pressure on the spine.
Regular stretching exercises can help. But you should try to get to the root of the problem. So change something about your posture. Unfortunately, this is very easy to say, but very difficult to implement.
What can help you is Upright. At Upright it is a small electronic straight holder* that you stick between your shoulder blades.
Whenever your posture leaves something to be desired, it vibrates and reminds you to keep a straight posture. At the end of the day, you can see in the app how often you really stood up straight and when not.
I can give you the Upright electronic straight holder* because I've been standing and sitting much more upright since I started using it. Even when I don't have it on at all. Somehow you subconsciously memorize the posture, which is quite practical. :)
Since it has to happen very quickly when you have a stiff neck, let's start right now with the neck exercises for the office and at home.
If you want to know even more about how neck pain develops, scroll a little further. According to our Neck pain exercises you will find more detailed information.
The best neck pain exercises: First aid for tension
Exercises against a tense neck must be one thing above all: fast and uncomplicated. Without equipment and in the office or at home you can perform these neck exercises.
No more tension! 3 immediate measures that really help!
With our 19 exercises against tense muscles while standing, you can do something good for your body.
The great thing about the exercises: They are pure bodyweight exercises. That means you don't need any expensive equipment. However, we would definitely recommend a few basics, such as a non-slip training mat!
Stretching against the tense neck
We start by loosening up our body and stretching really long. With this neck exercise you stretch the spine and stretch the lateral muscles of the upper body.
- Stand up and stand tall
- Raise the arms above the head - the thumbs and index fingers touch each other
- Stretch your spine through - make yourselves really long
- After 10 seconds, lean to the left.
- Hold the position for 10 seconds before bending to the right
3 neck pain exercises standing
Even though these 3 neck pain exercises look very simple, they bring great relief to a tense neck.
This neck workout works because you first tense the muscles and then let them relax. This relaxes the muscles and helps relieve stress.
- Stand upright. The legs are closed
- Place the left hand open on the forehead
- Press the head lightly against it - hold for 10 seconds
- Now place the hand on the left temple - again build up light pressure and hold for 10 seconds. Now the right temple
- And finally, place the open palm on the back of the head - again press lightly and hold for 10 seconds
- Repeat the exercise with the left palm
Stretch back and neck against tension
Relief from neck and back pain is also provided by this exercise. This exercise stretches your posterior neck muscles and trapezius muscle.
- Stand shoulder-width apart and fold your hands behind your head
- Bend the upper body slightly forward - this builds up a slight tension
- Attention: Do not overdo it! Better too upright than too bent!
- Hold the position for 15 seconds. Especially in the morning you will find this neck exercise difficult!
Say goodbye to back pain! These exercises will help you!
Lateral neck stretching against the stiff neck
Neck pain usually starts from the side. This exercise is very simple but also efficient. You stretch the lateral neck muscles and the trapezius muscle.
- Start at about shoulder width stride
- Put the left hand on the head and bend the head to the left side
- The right hand is stretched through and pulls down slightly
- There is a pleasant stretching sensation on the right side of the neck (trapezius muscle).
- Hold for 15 seconds and change sides.
If you want to take specific action against the pain, you can a massage gun the solution be. You can use it to loosen small and larger muscle areas.
The massage shocks penetrate into the deep-lying muscle tissue, where the cause of the problem usually lies. A model that we ourselves have in use is the Flow mini mass gun.
These are the best massage guns on the market - Our big test!
Arm circles against neck pain
Probably the simplest exercise for loosening tension is arm circling. This is another neck pain exercise that is best done while standing.
- Stand upright
- Stretch your arms out to the side and start drawing very small circles in the air
- The circles are getting bigger and bigger - important: keep it loose and don't tense up!
- After 20 circles, you simply change direction.
- 20 repetitions per side
For advanced users: If you have a good sense of coordination, you can swing your right arm clockwise and your left arm counterclockwise.
Neck pain exercise shoulder circling
Very similar to the arm circling is the shoulder circling. The great thing about this shoulder exercise is that it works very quickly. You can do it sitting or standing - standing is better for your back, of course.
- Stretch the spine firmly while standing upright through
- Attention: Do not form a hunchback!
- Begin to circle the shoulders forward 20x at the same time.
- Draw large circles. Now 20x backwards
- Now let the right shoulder precede the left - so you circle the shoulders one after the other.
- 20 repetitions to the front and 20 to the back
These simple exercises help with tension!
Head circling against tension in the neck
One of the classic neck exercises is head circling. This is not meant to sound derogatory, but rather to show that this neck exercise has proven its worth for a long time.
- Stand upright, make your back straight, stretch your shoulders backwards
- Now hang your head forward
- Very slowly begin to tilt the head to the left
- Now to the back and then to the right
- How to draw circles in the air
Important: When the head tilts back, look at the ceiling. The neck exercise must be performed very slowly!
A shoulder massager always helps me very well. The circular movements with heat loosen the muscles. It works best in the evening in front of the TV. This Massager with heat function* has particularly good ratings and testimonials on Amazon.
Lifting shoulders against a stiff neck
It often helps to promote blood circulation in the neck to prevent pain from occurring in the first place. The easiest way to do this is to lift your shoulders.
- Straighten back
- Now pull the shoulders to the ears
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Let shoulders sink again
- 10 repetitions
Pull elbow up
A very pleasant neck exercise that takes the pressure off your shoulders is the following.
- Sit up straight
- Make sure your back is straight
- Put your hands up
- The elbows point to the ceiling
- The palms rest on the spine
- Breathe in and out deeply
No more stuck fascia thanks to this yoga exercise!
Touching the arms behind the back
With this anti tension exercise you will not only stretch your shoulders, but also your triceps. By the way, this execution is also one of the best anti hunchback exercises.
- Stand upright and make sure your back is straight
- Stretch the left arm upwards and reach over the shoulder to the spine
- The right elbow is at your hip
- Fingers touch behind your back
- Quietly pull the arms slightly to the right and left
- Do not forget to change pages
Neck stretch and rotation
Very pleasant and uncomplicated you can stretch the neck muscles also with this exercise.
- Put both hands behind the head
- Push the shoulders back
- Start stretching the upper body alternately to the right and to the left
Fold hands to take pressure off the neck
Very simple but still very effective are neck pain exercises where you first build up pressure and then slowly release the pressure.
- Make sure you stand straight
- The legs are slightly open
- The palms touch directly in front of the chest
- Press hands strongly against each other for 5 seconds
- Then release the pressure and turn the fingertips downwards
Have you ever tried finger yoga?
Stretch shoulders and neck against tension
You can also perform this exercise very easily. The great thing about it is that through this movement you simultaneously declare war on the hunchback.
- Stand upright, raise elbows to shoulder height
- Make slow movements with the arms
- Forward until fingertips are touching
- And backward as far as your shoulder blades will allow
Turn palms for less pain in the neck
You should definitely do this exercise while standing. When sitting, you tend to have a hunched back, which can make the pain even worse.
- Stretch both arms to the side
- Make sure arms are straight - fingertips are at shoulder level
- The palms face down
- Now start to rotate the arms until the palms are facing upwards.
The best neck tension exercises on the exercise mat
But you can also do a lot for your tense neck while lying down. If you have a lot of pain, lying down can take the pressure off.
Stretch arms in prone position
This exercise takes the pressure off the muscles by targeting them. When you repeat the execution and relax the body, the tension also goes away.
- Lie on your stomach
- The tips of the toes touch the mat
- Lift your head from the exercise mat
- The left hand is at 90° angle
- The right hand stretched forward
- Push and pull the hands alternately forward and backward
Child Pose for recovered shoulders
You will get a full load of relaxation with this yoga exercise. It helps you to let go of stress and to be deeply relaxed. Thus, tensions are often released all by themselves.
- Kneel on the training mat
- Put the buttocks on the heels
- Bend the upper body forward
- Forehead touches the mat
- Stretch the arms forward and breathe deeply in and out
- Let yourself fall properly
Stretching arms while lying down for less tension
The shoulder blades are trained and loosened during this exercise. Relaxed lying on the mat takes a lot of pressure off the spine.
- Lie on your back
- The legs are bent
- Stretch the arms upwards
- And let them move slowly - but stretched - behind the head
- And forward again
Stretch arms sideways for the neck
The same exercise as just before, you can also do with lateral stretching. Do each repetition slowly!
- Start again on the back with bent legs
- Lift both arms from the floor at the same time
- Move them slowly from the buttocks to over the head
- 10 repetitions
Lateral rotation to open the pectoral muscles
If you're looking for an exercise that relaxes the neck and opens up the pectoral muscles, you've come to the right place.
- Lie on your back
- Let both legs tilt to the left
- Turn your head to the right
- The arms are stretched to the side
- Hold the tension for a few seconds and then switch sides.
With these exercises you will get rid of pain forever!
Quick tips against neck pain
Get a massage regularly! A masseur can loosen the tight muscles and prevent the neck from becoming stiff.
How neck pain develops
The most common cause is sitting too much. This permanently overloads our muscles. The body was not made for us to spend so many hours in the same sitting position.
Incorrect posture and strain can even cause the muscles in the neck to shorten. The muscles harden and react with painful pressure. If it gets very bad, even lying down can be painful.
Then all that's missing is a very small wrong movement or stress and it happens: The neck becomes really hard and stiff.
The problem with this is that people who are in pain sit down in such a way that they feel less pinching and twinging. In other words, you adopt a restrained and incorrect posture. This in turn promotes muscle pain. A vicious circle that can be broken out of with regular massages and neck pain exercises.
Did you know that mostly the trapezius muscle is responsible for giving us a stiff neck?
Here a standing desk can protect against bad tensions. If you alternate between standing and sitting, you have a good chance of getting your tense neck and back under control.
However, neck pain can also occur if you train too incorrectly or do not warm up before training.
When you should do neck exercises
If you are one of those long-sufferers who always have a tense neck and neck pain, you should stretch every day. And do it several times.
The neck pain exercises can be done in the office and at home.
Tip: Establish regular routines! If you are severely affected by neck tension, you can stretch daily at 9 am, 1 pm and 5 pm. For this, set a reminder in your calendar.
Starting the morning with a round of neck exercises can also work wonders. Because so the tensions do not arise in the first place.
So remember: Neck exercises are best done as a preventative measure. If you suffer from it regularly, it's best to start the day with neck exercises. After that, it's all about regularity.
These exercises for the cervical spine strengthen your neck!
How exercises work against neck tension
Neck exercises are nothing more than stretching exercises. They prevent the neck, back and shoulders from becoming stiff.
By stretching exercises for the neck you keep the muscles supple. It can harden much harder and cause neck pain.
When you stretch your neck regularly, you also prevent the muscles from shortening. You become more flexible and reduce the risk of injury.
However, the exercises presented are, of course, not a panacea. For mild tension in the neck, they help quickly and effectively. However, if you continue to have problems and the exercises themselves cause pain, you should see a doctor.
Our conclusion
The most common cause of a stiff neck is sitting incorrectly. A well-furnished workstation can help. You should include enough exercise in your daily routine and do neck pain exercises regularly. Tight neck exercises are a good prevention against pain in the neck, shoulders and back.
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