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If you’re feeling tense or stressed, your neck and shoulders may start to hurt, because they’re tense too. Use these simple stretches any time you feel tight and uncomfortable, or like you could do with an unwind. Breathe slowly and deeply as you practise these movements. Focus on your breathing and the sensations in your body rather than the things that have been bothering you. You may find your worries have quietened down afterwards.
Stay in each position for three slow, deep breaths, mindful of how your neck feels.
Press your elbows together in front of you and work on lifting them to shoulder height. Do this for five slow breaths then change sides. Your arms might look like either of the pictures below – both are good if you can feel the stretch across the upper back.
Five breaths each side. If your hands can reach each other, that’s great. If not, use a sock to connect them.
Find a ledge to rest your hands on and fold over. Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine. Take five deep breaths.
Clasp your hands behind your back, let your head hang loose and pull your hands far away from your bum. Stay for five slow breaths.
Relax like this for five slow breaths. Put your head on a pillow or rest it on your hands (one fist on top of another) if it doesn’t reach the floor.
Open up slowly into this twist. You may not have room to stretch your arms out – just do your best. Stay like this for five slow breaths and then twist out again on the other side.
Lie like this and focus on your breathing, and the feeling the breath makes as it flows in and out of you. You can count your breaths if you want – up to ten and then start again – or just enjoy the quiet. If your attention wanders away from the breath, just guide it gently back. Stay like this for five minutes, or longer if you want. Let the work you’ve done help yourself sink in.
If you’re feeling tense or stressed, your neck and shoulders may start to hurt, because they’re tense too. Use these simple stretches any time you feel tight and uncomfortable, or like you could do with an unwind. Breathe slowly and deeply as you practise these movements. Focus on your breathing and the sensations in your body rather than the things that have been bothering you. You may find your worries have quietened down afterwards.
Stay in each position for three slow, deep breaths, mindful of how your neck feels.
Press your elbows together in front of you and work on lifting them to shoulder height. Do this for five slow breaths then change sides. Your arms might look like either of the pictures below – both are good if you can feel the stretch across the upper back.
Five breaths each side. If your hands can reach each other, that’s great. If not, use a sock to connect them.
Find a ledge to rest your hands on and fold over. Keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine. Take five deep breaths.
Clasp your hands behind your back, let your head hang loose and pull your hands far away from your bum. Stay for five slow breaths.
Relax like this for five slow breaths. Put your head on a pillow or rest it on your hands (one fist on top of another) if it doesn’t reach the floor.
Open up slowly into this twist. You may not have room to stretch your arms out – just do your best. Stay like this for five slow breaths and then twist out again on the other side.
Lie like this and focus on your breathing, and the feeling the breath makes as it flows in and out of you. You can count your breaths if you want – up to ten and then start again – or just enjoy the quiet. If your attention wanders away from the breath, just guide it gently back. Stay like this for five minutes, or longer if you want. Let the work you’ve done help yourself sink in.
Hello! I’m Harley, a doctor working in Victoria. Welcome back to Ask the Doctor!
If you’re reading this from inside, here’s what I want you to know.
Going to the gym and doing other hard physical work are great things to do for your body, but they can leave you feeling tight and sore. Put yourself back in balance with this yoga sequence – it will loosen muscles and ease aches.
An information pamphlet discussing the condition.