How to Do Neck Retraction Stretches

By taking a few extra minutes you can ensure your neck is loose and prepared for strenuous exercise. The neck retraction stretch is a good stretching exercise to do if you have aching and sore neck muscles.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A chair with a short back

1. Stand or sit with your posture straight and shoulders relaxed. Let your arms hang loose at your sides or rest them on your knees.

2. Focus your eyes on a point straight ahead of you and keep your head level during this exercise.

3. Keep your shoulders and torso against the chair or straight up (if standing) and extend your neck forward as far as you can, with your chin sticking out. You will feel the muscles behind your ears and down your neck flex.

4. Hold stretch for 10 15 seconds when you feel a satisfactory level of tension. Relax your muscles and bring your head back to its original position. Repeat this stretch as many times as you feel are necessary, normally two or three repetitions is satisfactory.

5. Remain in the original straight posture, either sitting or standing. Without moving your shoulders push your head as far back as your muscles will allow. You will feel the muscles in the back of your neck stretch now.

Tips & Warnings

• Your main goal when doing neck retraction stretches should be to feel a general tightness in your neck. This will tell you that the stretches are working properly.

Resources

• The physiotherapy site
• Neck retraction stretches

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Tired of Being Tired? Fight Fatigue and Try FRS for FREE!