Do you suffer from frequent headaches or migraine symptoms? You’re not alone! At least 75% of Americans suffer from some form of headache each year.
What many people don’t know is that partaking in a regular stretching program can help restore proper muscular tissue quality and prevent tension-related headaches. Below is a video showing 5 easy exercises to restore neck flexibility and alleviate your symptoms naturally. As always, if these exercises increase your pain at all, or if they don’t improve your symptoms after a few days, you will probably benefit from a one-on-one evaluation with a physical therapist.
5 Exercises to Stop Frequent Headaches
Here are the top 5 exercises for headaches:
Upper Trapezius Stretch:
Setup
- Begin sitting upright on a table, grasping the edge with one hand.
- Movement
- Rotate your head up and to the side opposite of your anchored arm and slowly lean it toward your shoulder, applying pressure with your hand until you feel a stretch and hold.
- Tip
- Make sure to keep your back straight during the exercise.
Levator Scapula Stretch:
Setup
- Begin sitting upright in a chair, grasping the edge with one hand.
Movement
- Rotate your head to the side opposite your anchored arm, then tuck your chin towards your chest. With your free hand, grasp the back of your head and gently pull it downward until you feel a stretch and hold.
Tip
- Make sure to keep your back straight during the exercise.
- Scalene Stretch
- Setup
- Begin sitting upright holding the ends of a thin towel that is draped over your shoulder close to your neck.
- Movement
- Gently pull down on the towel, then slowly bend your neck towards your opposite side and turn your head upwards towards the ceiling until you feel a gentle stretch in your neck. Hold this position.
- Tip
- Make sure to maintain an upright posture and keep your shoulders relaxed during the exercise.
- Chin Tucks – Cervical Retraction
Setup
- Begin in a standing upright position or in seated position.
Movement
- Gently glide your head directly backward, with chin moving closer to your neck, while keeping your eyes fixed on something in front of you.
Tip
- Make sure that you do not look down as you do this exercise, or bend your neck forward.
- Scapula Squeezes
Setup
- Begin sitting in an upright position.
Movement
- Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together which will draw your shoulders backwards; hold; relax, and then repeat.
Tip
- Make sure to maintain good posture during the exercise.
- Upper Trapezius Stretch – Do this 3 times on each side and hold for 30 seconds per stretch. This type of stretching targets your trapezius muscle located behind your neck and shoulders. This stretch is aimed to help loosen tightened muscles and reduce tension, which is often caused by stress and poor posture over a long period of time.
- Levator Scapulae Stretch – Do this 3 times on each side and hold for 30 seconds per stretch. This type of exercise targets your levator-scapulae muscle located at the side and behind your neck. It is designed to relax your muscles and reduce tension that is likely due to overuse, stress, and poor posture.
- Scalene Stretch -The same instructions, hold each side for 30 seconds and do it three times. This exercise targets the muscles in the neck called scalene muscles, which help stabilize your neck and support breathing.
- Chin Tucks – For this exercise, hold your chin close to your neck and maintain the position for 3-5 seconds during each retraction, repeating the process for 10 repetitions. This exercise aims to strengthen the muscles at the front of your neck and is commonly recommended for individuals with neck pain and poor posture.
- Scapular Squeezes – Do 15 of these and hold 2-3 seconds per retraction. This exercise requires you to squeeze your shoulder blades together. It helps strengthen upper back muscles and enhance posture.
When doing these exercises it’s crucial to prevent sudden movement, and if ever you experience discomfort or any pain, you should stop immediately and talk to a professional.
