Upper neck pain is a common problem nowadays due to bad habits and a sedentary lifestyle. A typical upper neck exercise program will consist of a combination of stretching, mobility, and strengthening exercises.

In today’s vlog, we will give you a simple and easy routine for 8 weeks, where you will be strengthening your upper back muscles and by so reducing pain.

Reverse flies bench:

• Lay down on your stomach on an inclined bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Lift your arms upwards while externally rotating your shoulder.
• Go back to the starting position.

Single arm row bench:

• Place your chest and upper body on a 45-incline bench.
• Grab a dumbbell in one hand and rest your neck on the bench for you not to trigger neck pain.
• Perform single arm rows by bringing your hand from extended position to flexion of the elbow bringing the dumbbell closer to your hip bone.
• Retract your scapula to activate the rhomboids.
• Return to initial position

Banded Y-T-W:

• Start on an inclined bench
• Place your chest and upper body on it.
• Rest your neck on the bench for you not to trigger neck pain.
• Without you lifting your chest from the bench, perform a Y position by retracting your scapula and having your elbows flexed
• Then perform a T by keeping your elbows extended and retracting your scapula, opening your chest
• Finally perform a W, that looks like a Y but with forearms facing upwards.

Bent over row:

• Standing position while using a double pronated grip.
• Flex your hip until your torso is roughly parallel with the floor (or slightly above) and then begin the movement by moving the elbows behind the body while retracting the shoulder blades.

Seated Rows

• Pull the handle and weight back toward the lower abdomen while trying not to use the momentum of the row too much by moving the torso backward with the arms.
• Target the middle to upper back by keeping your back straight and squeezing your shoulder blades together as you row, keeping your chest out.
• Return the handle forward under tension to full stretch, remembering to keep that back straight even though flexed at the hips. Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

Seated reverse flies

• Face the fly machine while seated with your chest against the pad and the handles positioned in front of your torso.
• Reach forward and grasp each handle with a pronated or neutral grip.
• Contract the rear delts while keeping the elbows bent and open the arms in a reverse fly motion.
• Slowly lower the handles back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Lateral raise dumbbell:

• Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand.
• While bracing your core, abduct your shoulders by lifting the dumbbells away from your sides so that your arms become parallel to the ground.
• Go back to starting position in a controlled matter.
• Repeat for the desired repetitions.

Lateral raise bench:

• Sit down on a bench where your back is resting on it at a 90-degree angle.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• While bracing your core, abduct your shoulders by lifting the dumbbells away from your sides so that your arms become parallel to the ground.
• Go back to starting position in a controlled matter.
• Repeat for the desired repetitions.

Cable lateral raise:

• Place the pulley down
• Stand sideways to the machine
• Grab the handle with one hand opposite to the pulley side
• With your hand pronated elevate it to your side shoulder level then go back to starting position and repeat it.

These exercises have to be performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks.

In the first 4 weeks, you are going to perform 2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.

While the last 4 weeks, you should be performing 2 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions.

Adjust the resistance that you go very close to failure.  So, chose or adjust your elastic band accordingly, for example, you can shorten the band, double it or use a thinner or thicker one for harder resistance.

These are simple ones, that can be done at the gym. Bear in mind that sometimes these exercises need a follow-up with your therapist especially when the pain is unbearable, or you are going through an acute inflammation. listen to your body, don’t push if any of the exercises given are triggering your pain.

Here are some videos that can be helpful for neck pain :

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj3Fs9fpVud/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CikYynqvXJg/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLW82K4saPj/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHIznqqJRM5/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

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