Gentle resisted neck exercises, where you slowly move your head against light pressure from your hand in four directions, can help improve range of motion, ease stiffness, and strengthen the muscles that support your neck. Done slowly and within a comfortable range once to three times a day, they’re a simple way to support your recovery between chiropractic visits. If your neck pain is severe, getting worse, or comes with numbness or weakness in your arms, get it evaluated before starting.
Why I Include Exercise in Every Treatment Plan
My name is Dr. Russell Brokstein, and as a chiropractor in Freehold, NJ, I see many patients with neck pain every day. Many chiropractors adjust their patients but don’t show them exercises to help speed up recovery. In my office, exercise and stretching are part of every treatment plan.
Home exercise matters for everybody. If you have a pet, watch what it does when it wakes up from a nap. The first thing it does is stretch, loosening up its muscles, tendons, and ligaments before it moves on with its day.
Why Neck Exercise Matters
Weak neck muscles are linked to many painful neck problems. They can also contribute to fatigue, irritability, headaches and migraines, poor sleep, stress, numbness and tingling, and shoulder pain.
When done correctly, which means slowly and within a comfortable range, these exercises can increase your range of motion, reduce stiffness and tightness, and strengthen your neck muscles. They also build coordination, which helps your neck move more smoothly through the day.
Before starting any exercise program, check with your doctor or schedule an evaluation with us. If an exercise causes pain, stop and get checked so we can find out what’s going on.
How the Resisted Neck Exercises Work
These exercises combine movement with light resistance from your hand in four directions: forward, backward, and side to side. Think of it like a gentle arm wrestling match with your own head.
Each direction has two parts:
- Let your head win. Press your head into your hand and slowly move your head through its full comfortable range while your hand gives light resistance.
- Let your hand win. Keep pressing your head into your hand, but let your hand slowly push your head back to the starting position, still resisting the whole way.
Always keep your head pressing into your hand in both directions. That’s what builds strength and control.
Forward (Chin Toward Chest)
Place your palm on your forehead. Slowly bend your head forward, chin toward chest, while your hand resists lightly. Then let your hand slowly push your head back up to upright as your neck keeps pressing forward.
Backward (Looking Up)
Clasp your hands behind your head. Slowly tilt your head back to look up while your hands resist lightly. Then let your hands slowly bring your head back to neutral as your neck keeps pressing back.
Right Side Bend (Ear Toward Shoulder)
Place your right palm on the right side of your head, above your ear. Slowly tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder while your hand resists lightly. Then let your hand slowly push your head back to center.
Left Side Bend
Repeat the same movement on the left side, with your left palm on the left side of your head.
How to Do Them Safely
The key is moving very slowly. Slow movement builds motor control and coordination, and it keeps you within a comfortable range of motion.
- Reps: do each direction three times slowly, moving all the way out and back, then move to the next direction.
- Pressure: use light pressure. This isn’t a maximum-effort exercise.
- Pain: if pain increases, lighten the pressure or stop just before the point where pain starts.
- Tracking: if you can’t reach the end of the movement because of pain, note how far you could go and how many reps you managed. That’s useful information to share at your next visit.
- Frequency: do the exercises one to three times a day, depending on how your neck tolerates them.
Feel free to contact our office for additional exercises or with questions about your neck, or for loved ones and friends dealing with neck pain.
When to Have Your Neck Checked
Pain is a sign that something is wrong, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. If you’re dealing with ongoing neck pain, a chiropractic evaluation can help find out why. The longer a problem goes unchecked, the more chronic it can become and the harder it can be to correct.
Chiropractors are trained specifically to evaluate and treat musculoskeletal problems like neck pain. By finding the cause of the problem, we can work on correcting it, so you can get back to your normal daily activities with less pain.
Get Medical Care Right Away If You Notice
- Neck pain after a fall, car accident, or other significant injury
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or hands that’s getting worse
- Clumsiness in your hands or trouble with balance
- Neck pain with fever, a severe headache, or sensitivity to light
- A sudden, severe headache unlike any you’ve had before
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before neck exercises help?
Many people notice less stiffness within a week or two of doing the exercises consistently. Strength and coordination keep improving with regular practice.
Should neck exercises hurt?
No. You may feel mild effort or stretching, but sharp pain means you should lighten the pressure, shorten the range, or stop and get checked.
Can I do these exercises at work?
Yes. They only take a few minutes and don’t need equipment, so they’re a good break from long stretches at a desk.
Neck Pain Care in Freehold and Monmouth County
If you’re in Freehold or nearby towns like Marlboro, Howell, Jackson, Morganville, Colts Neck, or Manalapan, our office, Freehold Chiropractic, can help you find out what’s behind your neck pain. Many of our patients are pleased to discover how much better they feel with the right combination of adjustments and home exercise.
Call (732) 780-0044 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
Dr. Russell Brokstein is a lifelong Freehold resident and a seasoned chiropractor dedicated to helping patients achieve optimal health through holistic, drug-free care. With a Biology degree from Penn State and a Doctor of Chiropractic from Life Chiropractic College West, Dr. Brokstein’s passion for chiropractic began when his own recurring bronchial issues and a sports-related back injury were resolved through chiropractic adjustments. This transformative experience inspired him to focus on full-body treatments, therapeutic stretching, nutritional counseling, and stress reduction therapies to help others recover faster and perform better. Recognized as one of America’s Best Chiropractors, he leads Freehold Chiropractic with a patient-centered approach that emphasizes thorough evaluations, minimal wait times, and personalized care for athletes and families in Freehold, NJ.
