Retraction Rotation Supine

Lie on your back and tuck your chin in by sliding your head upward. Slightly raise and turn your head toward the left while keeping your chin tucked in. Do 2 series of 10 repetitions on each side daily.

 

Isometric Extension Strengthening with Rubber Band (Sitting)

In a sitting position with your chin tucked in, place and elastic band behind your head. Move your trunk backward from the hips, keeping your back and neck straight. Do 3 series of 10 repetitions daily.

⁺Not recommended for recent onset neck pain

 

Isometric Flexion Strengthening with Rubber Band (Sitting)

In a sitting position with your chin tucked in, place an elastic band across your forehead. Bring your trunk forward from the hips, keeping your back and neck straight. Do 3 series of 10 repetitions daily.

⁺Not recommended for recent onset neck pain

 

Neck Extensor Strengthening

•Lie on your stomach, propped up on your elbows. Push through your elbows to prevent your chest from sagging between your shoulder blades. First, just concentrate on your chin. Tip it up and down as if saying yes. It is a gentle, but important exercise for the small muscles in the upper part of your neck.

•Secondly, gently turn your head from side to side as if you were saying no. In other words, you only need to turn your head about 30 degrees to each side. It is a gentle but important exercise for other small muscles in the upper part of your neck.

•Thirdly, lower your head and neck to look at your chest, then, raise and curve your neck back up. Pretend you have a book between your forearms. As you lift your head back, keep reading your book. This helps to keep the upper neck in a neutral position to focus the exercise on the lower regions of your neck.

To begin with, perform each exercise 5 times as one set. Try to build up to 3 sets, and eventually 3 sets of 10 repetitions each. Remember to keep pushing through your elbows to keep your chest raise through the whole set. Have a rest between sets.

 

Additional Neck Strengthening Exercises

Head lift exercise: The weight of your head is enough weight to lift. Start by sitting on a chair close to a wall. Rest your head back on the wall. Slide your head back on the wall to nod your chin and hold it in this position. Then, just take the weight of your head off the wall – your hair still touches the wall. Hold for 5 seconds and relax. Start by doing 3 sets of 2-3 repetitions. Then gradually build up to three sets of five repetitions. Shifting the chair a little further from the wall makes the exercise more difficult. You can progress the exercise by moving the chair away from the wall in 5 cm stages.

Variation: Lie resting on your head on 2 pillows. Slide the back of your head up the pillow to nod your chin and hold it in this position. Then, try to just lift the weight of your head until it just clears the pillow. Hold for 5 seconds and relax. Start by doing 3 sets of 2-3 repetitions and gradually build up to 3 sets of 5 repetitions. The exercise can be progressed by removing one pillow and performing the exercise in the same way.

Please note in all variations of the exercises, keeping a double chin – is a very important aspect of the exercise.