According to the Cleveland Clinic, the causes of neck and shoulder pain include injury, degenerative diseases such as arthritis, muscle or tendon strain, fractures and poor posture. Identifying the cause of your pain is important to ensure you receive the right treatments and exercise plan. The best exercises for neck and shoulder pain allow you to stretch and build the neck and shoulder muscles without causing further pain. Since pain in these areas can arise due to problems with posture and body alignment, exercises that focus on these areas are also beneficial.
Tai Chi
According to Spine-Health, tai chi is an exercise method that is gaining recognition as a way to relieve neck and shoulder pain. A study published in the September 2003 Journal of Rheumatology found that women who suffer from arthritis joint pain can experience pain reduction by participating in Sun-style tai chi exercises, whose moves are particularly low-impact and purposeful.
Tai chi incorporates gentle, flowing movements involving the entire body and exercises that do not jar the spine, which could aggravate neck and shoulder pain. Moves are held for short periods of time, allowing you to gently tense and release muscles, building strength in increments. Tai chi's movements also help to restore good posture to alleviate strains on the neck, spine and shoulder.
Pilates
A study published in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Biomechanics found that a Pilates exercise regime focused on improving the strength, flexibility and posture of the arm and trunk area improved upper spine posture and abdominal strength. Weaknesses in both areas contribute to pain in the shoulder and neck, and strengthening exercises can reduce this pain.
Pilates is a more physical exercise method than tai chi, demanding that participants challenge the muscles through positions requiring strength and control, and that positions be held for longer periods of time. Pilates Kingdom notes that most of the Pilates positions focus on strengthening the muscles that support the spine, and you can incorporate Pilates positions such as the Neutral Spine and Abdominal Scoop into your daily life to help to reduce pain even when you are not exercising.
Alexander Technique
The Victoria, Australia Better Health Channel describes the Alexander technique as a way of moving and thinking that eliminates the bad posture and movement habits that can lead to neck and shoulder pain. The Alexander technique teaches you to be aware of the sources of pain and the natural compression of muscles that occurs as the body tries to eliminate that pain. It emphasizes economy in movement to prevent jarring and straining actions, and body alignment to minimize the muscular strain that comes from holding the body in an unnatural position. Alexander technique lessons are low-impact and involve gentle hands-on instruction that helps you to release muscular tension and redevelop your natural poise.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: An Overview of Neck and Shoulder Pain
- Spine-Health: Tai Chi for Posture and Back Pain
- National Institutes of Health: Effects of Tai Chi on Pain in Older Women with Osteoarthritis
- Journal of Clinical Biomechanics: The Effects of a Pilates Training Program on Arm-Trunk Posture
- Victoria, Australia Better Health Channel: Alexander Technique
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