Stretches for the Neck

A physical therapist may suggest performing neck stretches to help treat chronic neck pain or to rehabilitate certain neck injuries. You may want to perform neck stretches to help prevent these conditions as well, even if you don't currently have any neck problems. Perform the stretches carefully, however, so you don't increase the pain or cause an injury you're trying to prevent.

Chin Tuck

The chin tuck exercise targets the muscles in the back of your neck that facilitate neck extension ranges of motion, allowing you to tilt your head backward. Performing the exercise involves moving your chin toward the top of your chest slowly until you feel gentle tension through the back of your neck and your upper back. You can either hold the stretch for a specific amount of time -- not longer than 30 seconds -- or repeatedly and slowly flex and extend your neck from a neutral head position.

Levator Stretch

The levator stretch is so named because it targets the levator scapulae muscles, which run from the top of your neck on either side of your spine to the upper, inside portion of the scapula bones within your upper back. Move your chin toward your chest and rotate your head toward your left shoulder to stretch the muscle on the right side of your neck. Place your left hand behind your head and pull gently toward your left shoulder to deepen the stretch. Hold this position for at least 10 seconds, then repeat the exercise in the opposite direction.

Neck Extension Stretch

The neck extension stretch targets the muscles that contract when you tuck your chin toward your chest or look downward in front of your body. Extend your neck by tilting your head backward to perform the stretch. Press on your forehead to deepen the stretch if desired. Like the chin tuck exercise, you can hold the neck extension stretch for 10 to 30 seconds or repeatedly extend and flex your neck, deepening the stretch with each repetition. Rotate your head slightly in either direction at the end of the stretch to emphasize one side of your neck over the other.

Posterior Scalene Stretch

The scalene muscles are located within the sides of your neck and facilitate lateral flexion, or side-to-side, ranges of motion. Tilt your head to the left, moving your ear toward your shoulder, and rotate your head slightly to stretch the most posterior, or farthest back, of these muscles within the right side of your neck. Pull lightly with your left hand on the upper right portion of the back of your head to increase the tension. Hold the stretch for at least 10 but not more than 30 seconds, then switch sides.