Road cycling is an intense, low-impact cardiovascular exercise. With low-impact exercises, you expect to feel less pain at the end of the workout. This is true with regard to pain in the joints of your lower body, but cycling can give you pain in the neck. Reasons for this include your body position. The lower you are on the bike, the closer your shoulders are to your neck, which tightens the muscles that support your head. Also, when cycling in a forward position, your neck extends as you look ahead at the road, which also tires and tightens your neck muscles.
Mountain Pose
Yoga poses help alleviate neck pain from tired and tight neck muscles. Mountain pose is a posture aligning pose to return your neck to a neutral position. Stand tall with your feet directly underneath your hips. Face your toes forward and place your feet parallel to each other. Relax your shoulders and pull them down away from your ears. Place your chin parallel to the floor and look forward or close your eyes. Your arms are either straight at your sides with your palms facing forward or placed palms together with fingertips up at the center of your chest. Maintain mountain pose as you breathe deeply for one to five minutes.
Rolls
Neck rolls are performed on or off the bike. Lower your chin toward your chest, and gently roll your head from side to side until you feel a release of tension in your neck. Shoulder rolls also help alleviate neck pain and are performed on or off the bike. Look straight ahead and begin with your shoulders pulled down away from your ears. Circle your shoulders to the front, then up toward your ears, as far back as possible and then return to start position. Complete five to 10 shoulder rolls until you feel a reduction in neck pain.
Neck Stretch
Daily flexibility exercises reduce your neck discomfort and are performed before, after or during a road ride. Look straight ahead with your chin parallel to the floor. Place one finger on your chin, and gently press backward to tuck your chin. Feel the stretch in the top of your neck. If you need more of a stretch, place your opposite hand on the back of your head, and gently press your head upward and forward. Maintain the stretch for at least 10 seconds and repeat as needed.
Neck Flexion
The stronger your neck, the less discomfort you will feel from fatigue. Perform a neck flexion exercise from a face-up position. Lie on the floor with your head on a pillow. Exhale and lift your head off the floor as you aim to touch your chin to your chest. Lift your head as high as you are able, and then slowly lower your head to start position. Count to five, and repeat 10 times. Begin with one set, and add one or two more as your strength improves. Include a one-minute rest between sets. This neck flexion exercise may be performed every other day.
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