Exercises & stretching
for neck pain

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Benefits of exercise for neck pain

Movement is one of the most effective ways to recover from neck pain. Gentle, regular exercise helps improve flexibility, strengthen the muscles that support your head and shoulders, and reduce pain over time. Research shows that staying active is more effective than prolonged rest or medication alone for most types of neck pain, including whiplash(your neck bending forcibly forward and then backward, or vice versa) and nerve-related pain¹.

Exercise also supports confidence. By moving safely, you help your body restore normal patterns of motion, improve posture, and reduce the fear that can make pain worse. Programs that combine exercise, education, and behavior support lead to better long-term outcomes than passive treatments².

Effective exercises for sciatica

Safety note: Not every exercise is right for every person. If a movement causes sharp pain, dizziness, or new symptoms, stop and consult a medical provider.

1. Prone press-up

What it helps: Strengthens deep neck flexor muscles that support posture and ease tension in the upper neck.

How to do it: Sit or stand tall. Gently tuck your chin in, as if making a double chin, keeping your eyes level. Hold 5 seconds and relax. Repeat 10 times. Avoid pushing your head forward or tilting up.

2. Scapular Retraction

What it helps: Strengthens shoulder blade muscles that stabilize the neck and upper back.

How to do it: Sit or stand with arms by your sides. Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and down, without shrugging. Hold for 5–10 seconds, then release. Repeat 10–15 times.

3. Neck rotation

What it helps: Maintains mobility and reduces stiffness.

How to do it: Slowly turn your head to one side as far as comfortable, hold for 5 seconds, then return to center. Repeat to the other side. Then tilt your ear toward your shoulder (don’t lift your shoulder) and hold 5 seconds. Repeat each movement 5–10 times.

4. Neural Glide (for Radiating Arm Pain)

What it helps: Gently mobilizes irritated nerves in cervical radiculopathy.

How to do it: Sit tall. Extend your arm out to the side at shoulder height with your palm up. Slowly tilt your head away while bending your wrist down, then return to neutral. Move smoothly within comfort. Repeat 5–10 times per side.

Helpful stretches for neck pain

1. Neck side stretch

How it helps: Relieves tension in the sides of the neck.

How to do it: Sit tall. Gently tilt your head to one side and hold for 20–30 seconds. You can lightly place one hand on top of your head for added stretch. Repeat on the other side.

2. Levator Scapulae Stretch

How it helps: Loosens muscles connecting the neck and shoulder blade.

How to do it: Sit or stand tall. Start by moving your arm behind your back as far as possible. Then, placing the other hand on the top of your head, rotate your head to the side and downwards until you feel the neck muscles stretching. Hold for 20–30 seconds. Repeat on both sides.

3. Chest (Pectoral) Stretch

How it helps: Improves posture by opening the chest and reducing forward shoulder position.

How to do it: Stand in a doorway, place your forearms on the frame, and gently step forward until you feel a stretch across your chest. Hold for 20–30 seconds.

Did you know?

In Sword Health’s digital care programs, people with chronic neck and shoulder pain achieved the same level of improvement in function and pain as those in conventional physical therapy, with fewer dropouts and higher satisfaction⁵. Staying active through digital guidance can be just as effective as in-person rehabilitation.

Exercises to avoid with neck pain

Most people can stay active safely, but some movements can irritate sensitive tissues:

Heavy overhead lifting or pressing when neck pain is acute.
Sudden jerking or twisting of the neck.
Long periods of immobility (wearing a collar for more than a few days without guidance).
High-impact or contact activities, like jumping or doing martial arts (until cleared by a clinician).

These are not permanent restrictions—gradual reintroduction is safe once symptoms improve ^1,4. Exercise should feel challenging but tolerable, not painful.

Clinical insight

Clinical guidelines emphasize that movement and education are the cornerstone of neck pain recovery. Early, gentle activity leads to better long-term outcomes than rest or imaging alone¹. Exercise programs that include neck muscle training, postural strengthening, and sensorimotor control show the greatest improvements in pain and function³.

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People with neck pain also explore

Whiplash Cervical radiculopathy Sciatica

Footnotes

Blanpied PR, et al. Neck Pain: Revision 2017—Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(7):A1–A83. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.0302.

Gross A, et al. Exercise for Mechanical Neck Disorders. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015.

Fritz JM, et al. Exercise Only vs Exercise + Mechanical Traction for Cervical Radiculopathy: RCT. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2014;44:45–57.

OPTIMa Collaboration. Guideline on Neck Pain–Associated Disorders and Whiplash-Associated Disorders. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2016;39(7):523–64.

Cui D, et al. Randomized-Controlled Trial: Digital Care Program vs Conventional Physiotherapy for Chronic Low Back Pain. NPJ Digit Med. 2023;6:121.