Let’s Improve Stubborn Stiff Neck

According to a recent research, the cause of stiff neck and stiff shoulders are different.
 
Stiff shoulders are caused by the stiffness of the trapezius muscle which is the shallow layer of the muscles in the upper back.
 
On the other hand, stiff neck is caused by the tension of the suboccipital muscles which are the deep layer of the muscles in the back of the neck (Fig. 1).
 
The causes of stiff neck are:
 
(1) Posture
 
For example, when you look at the screen of PC, you bend your body a little forward and lift your head backward. This posture tightens the suboccipital muscles and leads to stiff neck (Fig. 2).
 
(2) Eyes
 
In an experiment, people without stiff neck watched a rally in the table tennis and followed the ball for an hour, sitting beside the table-tennis table and fixing their neck. After the experiment, their suboccipital muscles became harder than before the experiment.
 
Why does moving eyes tighten the suboccipital muscles?
 
When we move our eyes, our face also moves slightly and the place where controls this movement is the suboccipital muscles.
 
The screens of smart phones are very small, so it seems like the eyes don’t move. But actually our eyes move on the screen and we look down to the screen. That tightens the suboccipital muscles (Fig. 3).
 
Exercises to loosen the suboccipital muscles
 
The following exercises are more effective when they are performed lying on your back because the neck can relax.
 
1. Shaking-Head Exercise (Fig. 4)
(1) Close your eyes.
(2) Turn your head right and left slowly (3 seconds each) within 45 degrees.
(3) Repeat 20 reps for 3 times a day.
 
2. Nodding Exercise (Fig. 5)
(1) Prepare low pillow or towel and close your eyes.
(2) Chin up slowly (3 seconds) not to tighten the muscles and return to the original state.
(3) Repeat 20 reps for 3 times a day.
 
It is important for both exercises not to tighten the muscles.
 
3. Tucking-Chin-In Exercise (Fig. 6)
(1) Tuck your chin in for 3 seconds and relax.
(2) Repeat 10 reps for 3 times a day.