Targeted stretches and mobility exercises for the neck, shoulders, and upper back can ease tension and support better spinal alignment.
A friend of mine, a 40-year-old engineer, recently shared that he was diagnosed with hypertension, cervical spine misalignment, and carotid artery narrowing.
His case is far from uncommon.
Poor posture—often caused by long hours of sitting or hunching over screens—can lead to stiff neck and shoulder muscles. This stiffness doesn’t just cause discomfort—it may contribute to serious health issues like hypertension and cervical spine misalignment.
When muscles in the neck and shoulders tighten, they can compress vital blood vessels, such as the carotid and vertebral arteries, which supply blood to the brain. To compensate for reduced blood flow, the body may increase blood pressure to ensure the brain gets enough oxygen and nutrients.
The good news is that incorporating targeted stretches can ease tension, enhance posture, and promote healthy blood pressure. Additionally, if you sit at a desk or computer for extended periods, make it a habit to stand up and move every 40 minutes to prevent staying in one position for too long.
Here’s how you can start.
Relaxing Cervical Spine Exercises
Neck tension is mainly caused by prolonged postures, including the neck leaning forward and down. So, the key is to train the body to correct these improper postures.
1. Chin Receding Exercise
Step 1: Consciously extend your neck forward to its maximum extent.
Step 2: Slowly retract the cervical vertebrae backward, little by little, until your neck is aligned level with your shoulders when viewed from the side of your body.
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Practice with a resistance band: To enhance the exercise, you can wrap a resistance band around the back of your head, holding both ends of the band with your hands. Repeat the chin-tuck motion to increase the intensity of the neck correction.
2. Cervical Spine Reverse Exercise
Step 1: Gently press on the first joint area on either side of the cervical spine with your index fingers.
Step 2: Tilt your head backward for a reverse stretch, hold for about 7 to 10 seconds, then move your fingers downward to the second joint area and repeat the same motion.
Relaxing Shoulder Joint Exercises
Another often-overlooked factor contributing to shoulder and neck pain is elevated shoulders. This posture can result from a desk that is significantly higher than the chair or from resting the elbows on the desk.
Additionally, when core muscles are weak, people tend to raise their shoulders, which increases shoulder tension habitually.
Some exercises can help improve shoulder joint flexibility:
1. Shoulder Shrug
Raise your shoulders as close to your ears as possible, hold for 7 to 10 seconds, lower, and repeat 10 times.
2. Shoulder Turn
Place your hands on your shoulders and turn forward 10 times and backward 10 times.
When you turn your elbows forward, you’ll feel your shoulder blades pulling apart.
When the elbows turn back, you’re squeezing the shoulder blades together.
3. Shoulder Roll
Keep your shoulders relaxed and down. Move one shoulder forward while moving the other backward, alternating in a rolling motion.
Relaxing Thoracic Spine Joint Exercises
Rounded shoulders and a hunched back can also contribute to shoulder and neck pain. Strengthening the muscles around the shoulder blades and relaxing the chest and latissimus dorsi muscles can help. Try the following exercises:
1. ‘YTWL’ Training
Sit upright and raise both arms into a “Y” shape, with thumbs pointing backward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together by pulling your arms back.
Next, extend both arms horizontally into a “T” shape, with thumbs pointing backward, and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Then, raise both arms into a “W” shape and repeat the same movement.
Finally, keep both arms close to your sides with forearms open, forming an “L” shape at a 90-degree angle with your upper arms. Thumbs should point backward. Squeeze the shoulder blades together by pulling your arms back.
2. Upper Arms Stretch
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, knees on the floor, and arms resting on a chair. Keep your spine and arms as straight as possible while bending your back and pressing your upper arms downward.
Don’t Let Tension Take Over Your Health
What starts as minor muscle stiffness from poor posture can quietly snowball into more serious conditions like hypertension or arterial compression. But with daily stretches and posture-friendly habits, you can ease chronic tension, improve spinal alignment, and even support heart and brain health.
Take just 10 to 15 minutes each day to care for your neck, shoulders, and spine—it may be one of the simplest and most effective investments you make for your long-term well-being.
