Most people might have neck pain these days or at some point but not a lot of them know how to address the pain properly. People either resort to painkillers, an occasional massage or just ignore and try to live with the pain because it just keeps coming back anyway. But doing exercises is actually a sustainable way to help treat your neck pain because it often leads to improved posture, range of motion and functionality of your body. Here is the five specific strength exercises target the neck and shoulder muscles involved in causing chronic neck pain.
Dumbbell Shrug
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Begin by standing upright with the hand weights at the side of your body.
· Lift your shoulders up towards your ears using one even motion then lower them again slowly
· Relax your jaw and neck while doing it
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
One-Arm Row
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Stand with one knee on the bench and lean on the same-side hand on the front of the bench
· With the free arm, you pull the weight up towards your lower chest.
· When the weight touches your chest, lower it in a controlled motion.
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Upright Row
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Stand upright with your arms stretched and the hand weights in front of your body.
· Lift the weights in a straight line as close to your body as possible until they reach the middle of your chest and your elbows point up and out.
· During the whole exercise, the hand weights should be placed lower than the elbows.
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Reverse Fly
· Pick a dumbbell anywhere between 6-12 Lbs. depending on your current muscle strength.
· Lie down on a bench in a 45° forward bent angle with the hand weights hanging towards the floor.
· Lift the weights outward and upward until they are horizontal, and then lower the weights in one controlled motion.
· During the exercise, the elbows should be slightly bent.
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Lateral Raise / Shoulder Abduction
· Stand upright with the hand weights at the side of your body.
· Lift the weights outward and upward until they are horizontal, and then lower the weights in one controlled motion.
· During the exercise, the elbows should be slightly bent
· Do 2 sets with 8-12 repetition
Chiropractic Care
When the pain doesn’t go away, despite the changes you’ve done in your daily routine and habits as well as doing targeted exercises, the next logical step would be to consult a professional. Instead of relying on pain killers that only numbs the pain but doesn’t really treat the condition, seeking a chiropractor can help detect the real cause of the pain, provide comprehensive treatment that fits your specific condition, and prevent the pain from coming back. The chiropractor can also give recommendation on nutrition and exercises that will help improve your condition.