The right physio neck exercises, such as neck rotations and shoulder shrugs, can help ease neck pain and stiffness and promote mobility.
In my years as a physiotherapist, I’ve found that neck pain is one of the most common and difficult forms of pain that people face. Neck stiffness and pain make it difficult to move, cook, clean, work, exercise, sleep – essentially everything involved in daily life!
Fortunately, these simple neck exercises can help you ease neck tension so you can go about your daily tasks more comfortably.
Here are 11 of the best physio neck exercises I rely on to help my clients find immediate and long-term relief for stiff or sore necks.
Quick Summary
- Neck Rotation
- Rows
- Neck Extension
- Lateral Extension
- Shoulder Shrugs
- Resistance Presses
- Tilted Forward Flexion
- Lateral Raises
- Towel Pull
- Chin Tucks
- Levator Scapulae Stretch
Top 11 Physio Exercises for Neck Pain & Stiffness
1. Neck Rotation
Purpose
Neck rotations are an effective way to combat the poor posture associated with sitting for hours at a time. If you spend your days in front of a computer, try doing this neck exercise every half an hour to promote mobility and prevent neck strain.
How to do neck rotations:
- Sit in a chair and look straight ahead with good posture
- Slowly turn your head to the right
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds
- Return to the starting position
- Carefully turn your head to the left
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and return to the starting position
- Repeat for a total of 10 times on each side
2. Rows
Purpose
The row is a great way to improve neck pain through offloading the neck muscles and improving your thoracic strength. This easy exercise can be done throughout a day
How to do a row:
- Hold light dumbbells in hands, lean slightly forward through torso
- Ensure to keep your neck neutral
- Bend your elbow and retract your shoulder blade in a rowing action to bring the dumbbell to the front of your shoulder
- Return to the starting position
- Repeat 10 times
3. Neck Extension
Purpose
This neck exercise promotes mobility and helps prevent neck strain. If you find yourself stiff from sitting for long hours, this is an excellent way to ease neck tension.
How to do neck extensions:
- Sitting in a chair with good posture, slowly move your head backward to look up at the ceiling
- Avoid arching your back
- Hold for five seconds
- Return to the starting position
- Repeat 10 times
4. Lateral Extensions
Purpose
Tight neck muscles can limit your range of motion and lead to stiffness and pain. Lateral extensions are one of the best physio neck exercises because they offer an effective yet gentle stretch to improve mobility and help reduce neck pain.
I recommend this physio neck exercise if you spend long hours sitting at work. Try doing lateral extensions every 30 minutes to an hour to help combat the poor posture involved in sitting for extended periods.
How to do lateral extensions:
- Sit in a chair, maintaining good posture and looking straight ahead
- Slowly bend your head to the left to bring your left ear closer to your left shoulder
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds as you feel the gentle stretch on the right side of your neck
- Carefully return to the starting position
- Repeat this stretch on the right side
- Repeat 10 times on each side
5. Shoulder Shrugs
Purpose
Here is another neck exercise I recommend if you sit for long periods of time. Every half an hour, try doing this physio neck exercise to combat poor posture and prevent neck strain.
How to do shoulder shrugs:
- Sit down with good posture and look straight ahead
- Slowly raise both shoulders at the same time
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Return to the starting position
- Repeat a total of 10 to 20 times
6. Resistance Presses
Purpose
Resistance presses help strengthen the neck muscles to help prevent neck strain and promote good posture.
How to do Resistance Presses:
- Sit in a chair with your head in a neutral position
- Gently apply pressure to your forehead using one of your hands (this serves as your resistance)
- Press your forehead into your hand and hold for 5 seconds
- Repeat 5 times
- Now place a hand at the back of your head and press your head against your hand
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Repeat 5 times
7. Tilted Forward Flexion
Purpose
Titled forward flexion helps improve neck mobility, making it easier to move your head comfortably. The gentle stretch offered by forward flexion also helps relieve tight, stiff neck muscles.
Try doing this exercise every half an hour, especially if you work in front of a computer all day.
How to do tilted forward flexion:
- Sit in a chair looking straight ahead
- Carefully lower your chin toward your chest
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds
- Return to the starting position
- Repeat 10 times
8. Lateral Raises
Purpose
Lateral flexion raising is an excellent option for managing neck pain since it helps reduce tension and stiffness through offloading the neck muscles and improving shoulder muscles. I love physio neck strengthening exercises like this one that can be done right from your office chair throughout your work day.
How to do lateral raises:
- Sit upright in a chair or stand holding light weights.
- Keep your elbows straight
- Lift the weights out to the side until you reach 90 degrees
- If you cannot make 90 degrees, stop where pain begins.
- Return to the starting neutral position
- Repeat 10 times
9. Rotation Towel Pull
Purpose
The towel pull is an excellent exercise to combat stiffness and promote increased mobility. With the deep yet gentle stretch it offers, a lot of my clients comment on how good the towel pull feels. Consider this a DIY massage for your neck that will melt tension and ease stiff muscles.
How to do the Towel Pull:
- Place a rolled towel around your neck
- Hold each end of the towel with your hands
- Carefully and slowly look to the left, facilitating the movement by pulling the right side of the towel around with the movement.
- Return to the starting position (do not hold)
- Repeat to the right, facilitating with the left
- Repeat 10 times
10. Chin Tucks
Purpose
From office jobs to hovering over our phones, many people spend too much time with their head in a forward, hunched position. This can lead to tight, weak neck muscles.
Chin tucks are one of the best physio exercises for stiff neck because they help stabilise and strengthen the neck and realign the spine.
How to do chin tucks (neck retractions):
- Sit in a chair, maintaining an upright posture
- Move your head and chin straight back (avoid letting your head and neck bend forward or backward)
- Hold for 5 to 10 seconds before relaxing
- Complete this neck exercise 20 times
11. Levator Scapulae Stretch
Purpose
The levator scapulae muscle connects the neck to the shoulder blades. If your neck is tense, this stretch can help increase flexibility to reduce neck stiffness and pain. your shoulder blades to your neck.
How to do the levator scapulae stretch:
- Place your left hand behind your head.
- Turn your head to the left at a 45-degree angle.
- Carefully pull your head down toward your left armpit, feeling a gentle stretch along the right side of your neck
- Hold for 30 seconds, then relax
- Repeat the steps on the right side, then relax.
- Complete this physio exercise for stiff neck 3 to 5 times on each side
Don’t Let Neck Pain Reduce Your Quality of Life
Neck pain can disrupt your daily life but these gentle neck stretches and exercises can improve mobility and ease tension. Before starting any new exercise program, always consult with your doctor first.
In addition to these physio neck strengthening exercises, neck physio is an excellent option for managing and reducing neck pain.
Neck physio is a targeted form of physical therapy that focuses on alleviating pain, increasing strength, and improving mobility to manage and prevent further neck issues.
If you’re struggling with persistent neck pain and stiffness or are recovering from a neck injury, our team of physiotherapists is here to help you regain your quality of life.
Book a neck physio appointment with our team today and take the first step in alleviating neck pain.
