Neck Stretches
IN THIS LESSON
This is a great self-care technique to relieve a “crick” in the neck and can help ease pain or pressure felt behind the eyes or in the temporal area.
Instructions
Step 1: Locate the Muscle
Sit or stand tall. Gently turn your head to the left.
The prominent, rope-like muscle that pops out on the right side of your neck, running from behind your ear to your collarbone, is your Sternocleidomastoid (SCM).
Return your head to a neutral position.
Step 2: Secure Your Grip
Using your right hand, gently form a pincer grip with your thumb and fingers around the belly of that right SCM muscle. The grip should be gentle but firm.
Step 3: The Squeeze & Stretch
Maintain the gentle squeeze on the muscle.
Slowly and carefully tilt your head backward and slightly to the left, away from the side you are holding.
You should feel a deep, specific stretch in the muscle you are holding.
Step 4: Release and Repeat
Hold for a few seconds, then slowly release the stretch by bringing your head back to neutral before letting go of the muscle.
You can repeat this on a few different spots along the length of the muscle.
Carefully repeat the entire sequence on the opposite side.
