Stuck at a computer all day? Head and shoulders rounded forward? Starting to look like Quasimodo when you pass by a mirror? That posture can be intimately related to the neck pain you are experiencing.
Our bodies crave movement. When we train for a sport, we train for all sorts of different scenarios. Soccer - We run, kick, cut, pass, headers... the list goes on and on. Our daily life should be the same way. We cannot expect our bodies to be able to perform at their best if we just stay stuck in a chair all day long. We need to sit, sure, but we also need to stand, walk, stretch, and move.
This blog is designed for that stretching that takes place when we cannot get up from the chair. We are stuck in that meeting for another hour but we can only think about getting up and grabbing that foam roller.
I like to recommend three stretches to those individuals that take a grand total of two minutes.
Trap stretch: With your left hand behind your back, let the head fall and roll to the right for 30 seconds. Then switch hands and repeat on the other side.
Bruegger's: Drive the shoulders down, turn the palms forward, and squeeze those shoulder blades together. 10 repetitions for 3 seconds each
Chin tuck: Translate your head straight backward trying to line up your ear with the top of your shoulder. It is subtle. 10 repetitions for 3 seconds each
Give these three stretches/exercises a shot during the day. A good goal to shoot for is the top of every hour. Don't be discouraged if you miss an hour. Building better habits and movement patterns take time. Get a little better everyday!
