Exercises For People with Neck Arthritis

15 May 2006

Research shows exercise decreases gives arthritis pain relief, improves signs and symptoms, and performance. But before you rush out to an aerobics session, prepare your muscles with some flexibility and strengthening exercises.

For Arthritis Pain Relief try these arthritis exercises for better movement - arthritis knee exercise, arthritis neck exercise, arthritis shoulder exercise and arthritis hand exercise.

Arthritis Neck Exercises

Do each movement slowly five times, resting a short time in between each set of movements. Do two or three times a day although more often can be useful.

Neck flexion
This is the movement of bringing the head forward so that the chin hits the chest and your face is staring straight down at the floor. Do slowly five times.

Neck extension
This is the movement of allowing the head to go back until the face is looking directly at the ceiling. NB If you feel dizzy when you do this leave it out.

Rotation
Turn your head slowly round to one side until it cannot easily go any further. Once you have done five to one side do the other. Do not go from one side to the other in the individual movements or roll your neck about. NB If you feel dizzy when you do this leave it out.

Side flexions
Keep your head facing straight forward and try and tip your ear down towards the same shoulder.

Retraction
This is one of the most useful neck movements as it counteracts the tendency we all have of allowing our heads to poke forwards in a poor posture. Keep your face straight on during the whole movement, drawing the head back and the chin down slightly.

If you get it right, you will look funny, rather like a sergeant-major in an exaggerated military neck posture. If you do it in public people will either laugh or give you funny looks!

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