Lilly Physical Therapy in Edmonds-Shoreline WA | Free Screening

Fast Pain Relief and Physical Therapy in Edmonds-Shoreline WA

Physical Therapy & Fast Relief in Edmonds WA

24007 Edmonds Way, Edmonds, WA, 98026

Walk-Ins Welcome (425) 224-2476

  • Home
  • Team
  • Patient Info
  • Payment Info
  • About
  • Contact
  • Patient Portal
  • Careers
  • Blog
You are here: Home » Physical Therapy » The 5 TOP Neck Stiffness Exercises

The 5 TOP Neck Stiffness Exercises

March 1, 2021 By Lilly Bojic

The Top 5 Exercises for a Stiff and Tight Neck

A few years ago, I suffered the worst neck injury from whiplash.  My family and I were attending a conference in Hawaii when we got rear-ended while completely stopped. The impact was forceful and loud. We stepped out of our car and saw the guy standing on the street with a coconut drink  in his hand. And while our rental car had a little dent, his was completely destroyed, nobody appeared to be injured.

However, a day later, my neck started hurting and I don’t remember much of the rest of the conference because my brain was in a fog. After months of care, I eventually recovered but my neck still occasionally gets tight and sore if I don’t pay attention to what I am doing. 

I know that many of you have problems like this and nowadays even more so because of working from home, experiencing stress with juggling work, kids and long hours in front of the computer screen. Below, I will share a few things that give instant relief and can be done on your own at home. 

 Neck Side-bend Stretch for upper trapezius and levator scapulae

  1. If you get headaches on the side of your head, tightness at the top of your shoulders and neck stiffness, your Upper Trap and Levator muscles might be at fault. Do this exercise to feel better: 

Reach one arm behind the back to drop the shoulder down. Gently place the opposite hand on the crown of the head as you side bend your neck. Look forward and down towards the armpit. Hold each for position 10 slow, deep breaths.

Angel Stretch for Scalenes

2. If you spend a lot of time in front of your computer, looking down and in a  forward head position, try angel stretch to stretch your Scalenes.

Place your flat hand along your collarbone and pull downwards. Look up and away, to the opposite direction of your pull. You should feel the stretch in the front of the neck.

Towel SNAG Extension

3. If you wake up with a stiff neck, and can’t look up, try a towel snag with neck extension: 

Use a towel or pillowcase for this stretch. Folding it diagonally gives a nice edge. Place the edge of the towel at the base of the skull. Pull forward as you extend backward to look up. Continue SLOW nodding motion 10 times, keeping pressure pulling forward on the towel.

Towel SNAG Rotation

4. If your neck feels stiff in the direction of rotation, use a towel to improve your ability to look over the shoulder:

Use a towel or pillowcase for this stretch. Folding it diagonally gives a nice edge. With the towel behind your neck, pull on your cheekbone to push your head as you turn to look to the side and back. Continue this SLOW rotation motion 10 times.

Lacrosse Ball Massage For suboccipitals

5. In the case of ocular headaches and back of the neck tightness, try this release to make it better:

This one is great for headaches! Use a lacrosse ball, small roller, or water bottle to put pressure on the muscles at the base of the skull. Massage by doing chin tucks, or slow nodding down.

Many of my clients have tried medications, chiropractic care, and massage. It is totally normal to feel frustrated with a lack of progression having tried so many other treatments prior. I want you to know that it is OK to feel like this. Medication only masks symptoms and it does not treat the root cause of the problem. Chiropractic does not address fault lines, soft tissue, muscle and joint imbalances. The cold truth is that a lot of health care providers and pharmaceutical companies do not want you to get better. Some of them actually want you to become dependent on their services and products. Massage helps but does not fix the problem entirely. Watching videos on YouTube is a useful tool but how would you know which one is good for you?

Neck pain, stiffness, and tightness takes a comprehensive approach with stretching, strengthening, manual work, postural, and cold laser therapy. In addition to this, a good maintenance program with proper home care is a must. 

Finally, If you need our guidance, don’t worry, reach out and we will help. For a limited time, we are offering an accelerated neck pain program providing  relief.  It will take only 4 sessions and  just 10 minutes a day! That being said, we only have 12 spots available.

Text Transform to 360-229-7988 to grab the spot and we will reach out to schedule.

Filed Under: Physical Therapy

Community Doctor of the Month!

This Month, Lilly PT has Chosen:

Dr. Ella Bostanjian is an experienced family physician with over 15 years of experience. She is dedicated to providing quality medical care by getting to know her patients. She established her medical practice with her patients in mind – providing the same care as any physician or their family members would expect to be given, and helping them make highly informed decisions about their health and wellness.

Education:      Yerevan State Medical Institute, Armenia

Residency:      Brooklyn Medical Center, New York

Languages:     Armenian, Russian

Interests:         Outdoor activities, reading, playing piano

Do You Need Expensive Pelvic Gadgets to Heal Incontinence?

How to Stop Peeing Your Pants in Public!

A Surprisingly Simple Way to Cure Spastic Bladder!

How We Saved a Life

Stop, Breathe

Follow Us

Facebookyoutubeinstagram

Ailments We Treat

  • Arthritis
  • Back Pain
  • Bursitis/Tendonitis
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Elbow pain
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Headaches/Migraines
  • Neck SI
  • Plantar Fasciitis/Heel Pain
  • Sciatica
  • Scoliosis
  • Shoulder
  • Sports Related Injuries
  • and [much much more]...

DON’T PUT IT OFF ANY LONGER…

make-appt (1)

How To Prepare For Your 1st Visit

Our Location

24007 Edmonds Way  Edmonds, WA, 98026

Revolutionary Pain Relief & Healing

830laserpic The 830Laser stimulates healing and reduces pain at an accelerated rate. No heat is generated so it is safe for use anywhere* on the body. It successfully treats most muscle, joint, tendon, and nerve pain associated with Arthritis, Back Pain, Bursitis/Tendonitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Heel Spur/Plantar Fascitis, Migraines, Osteoarthritis, TMJ, and more. It’s even safe on children. Learn more>>>

Current Blog to Check Out!

  • Plantar Fasciitis Season is here! Make sure you can do all your favorite gardening, running, and hiking pain free! ‪Click here!Screen Shot 2016-05-04 at 3.12.31 PMWhat is that Plantar Fasciitis?
  • Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis
  • Who is prone to Plantar Fasciitis?
  • How to get rid of Plantar Fasciitis?
  • How to treat Plantar Fasciitis?
  • Self care for Plantar Fasciitis

Click here to check out how this patient overcame her severe and prolonged Plantar Fasciitis pain!

FREE REPORT

FREE REPORT

FREE REPORT

Terms of Use / Legal Notice / HIPAA Privacy Notice / Resources

Staff Only

Follow Us

Facebookyoutubeinstagram
Copyright 2021 Lilly PT - Powered by IndeFree - Physical and Occupational Therapy Clinics

Physical Therapy in Shoreline

Physical Therapy in Edmonds Washington

Sitemap