Stretching and self-massage tips on how to reduce neck and shoulder pain.

If during the last few months you have been less active by sitting for hours behind your computer, watching television or texting on your smart phone, than this has put an extreme amount of pressure on your neck and shoulder muscles.

This bad posture, with your neck bent down for long periods, can create severe neck and shoulder aches and often result in a constant feeling of numbness and even chronic headaches.

This 5 minute stretching and self-massage routine will relieve your neck and shoulder tension.

You may repeat these exercises several times a day.

• Sit up straight or stand.
• Tilt your head toward your right shoulder and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat to the other side

• Tilt your head so that your chin touches your chest for 30 seconds.

• Tilt your head back as far as you can and hold for 30 seconds.

• Stretch your arms to the side and push back your shoulder blades while stretching your back. Repeat several times for 20 seconds

• Place both hands on each side of your neck and with all fingers, massage the neck muscles while making rotating movements. Continue for 30 seconds while increasing the pressure.

• Place your thumbs right under the back of your head and press firmly all along the upper neck area right in the indentation under the scull. Find the sensitives spots and increase pressure while rotating your thumbs.

Here some other tips:

• Hold your cell phone, tablet and computer screen at eye level without bending your head forward

• Take frequent breaks, 20 to 30 minutes long, away from your phone and laptop throughout the day.

• Pick up the phone and call people instead of texting!

For more information click on the article “Muscle pain after lockdown? Discover how to get back in shape this summer!”

For other tips click on the article “Self-massage techniques to eliminate muscle pain. All you need is a tennis ball!”

Blue Tree Massage operates on the French Riviera, mainly in the Alpes Maritimes, in the principal towns along the coast (Cannes, Antibes, Cagnes Sur Mer, Nice, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Villefranche, Monaco, Menton…) as well as further inland (Mougins, Grasse, Valbonne, Biot, Roquefort les pins, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Vence…).