Neck Pain/Tightness

Mild neck pain and/or tightness that comes on slowly is commonly due to the upper back rounding forwards and the chin pointing forwards and upwards, which increases muscle and nerve tension and may cause pins and needles or pain in the arms and hands. Sometimes, breathing becomes restricted due to the lungs not expanding properly resulting in tiredness and more slouching – the start of a vicious cycle!

Treatment usually consists of hands-on mobilizations to increase upper back mobility, acupuncture to release muscle tension, and taping to improve the neck/shoulder posture. Exercises are given to increase upper back movement, improve shoulder stability and neck strength, and to improve neck and shoulder posture. Adjustments may also be advised to everyday activities that cause the strain: sitting, swinging arms whilst walking, and standing postures.Problems with your neck and back should not go untreated so you must see a doctor, physiotherapist or osteopath for a full diagnosis before following any of the advice or exercise on this website.

The exercises below are some of the many things that your Physiotherapist or Osteopath might give you to help relieve your pain, please click on the link that will take you to a page describing the exercise.

1) Click here to learn how to: Release your thoracic spine

2) Click here to learn how to: Correct your neck posture

3) Click here to learn how to: Correct your shoulder posture

4) Click here to learn how to: Train your shoulder posture muscles

5) Training your global neck muscles is also important but this is too advanced to describe here, so please ask your Physio or Osteo to show you how.

6) Click here to learn correct sitting posture.