Exercises to strengthen neck muscles? - JP Fitness Forums

sona · 10-25-2006, 07:58 AM

In a nutshell:

In 1989 I fell onto the right side of my neck, did not ice or anything (idiot). As time went by, I found that the weakness in the vertebra that had been affected would cause my neck to go out of alignment after certain kinds of exercise or exertion (overhead weight-bearing exercise [not light, but when lifting], leaning back against the area in a certain way, etc.)--and I began a lifelong relationship with chiropractors. They'd readjust me, and I'd be fine...until it happened again. No pain, just being out of alignment and the discomfort of feeling like a pretzel because my neck was..."out." These days, I can go from two to five weeks without an adjustment.

I don't know why it's coming as a surprise now, but I've just realized that even when my neck is fine (or when it's out, doesn't matter), one thing has suffered:

I have practically no strength to hold my neck up (without support) when I'm lying down facing toward the ceiling.

For instance, I've begun the NROL Break-In WOs, and I cannot do stability ball crunches with my neck hanging off the end of the ball (and having to lift my head to begin crunches) unless I wrap my two hands behind my head/neck and crunch from that position. Doing them that way is fine. But my neck cannot support itself!

Can anyone point me in the right direction--I would like to read about some exercises I can do that will strengthen whichever muscles in my neck enable it to support itself in those kinds of positions.

Thanks for any help!

--Sona

bryanc · 10-26-2006, 09:40 AM

So...

The main question, when I hear a story like that, that goes through my head is, "Is this a structual bony problem, or is this a muscular or ligamentous problem?" The fact that you used to get relief from a cervical spine adjustment suggests to me that there is at the very least, a bony component to your problem, if it is not, in fact, the main problem.

If bone is your main problem, then all the strengthening in the world is not going to solve very much. So, before you go leaping into a strengthening program, I would suggest you have your neck thoroughly examined--whether that involves a chiropractor or physician is up to you. But if it was me, I would be ordering at least a set of X-rays, and possibly a CT or MRI, depending on the X-ray and what kinds of findings you have on a physical examination.

sona · 10-26-2006, 09:52 AM

Hi, Bryan~

The short answer to this is: I had an X-ray done two years ago (the situation has not worsened since then) and it showed that everything was fine! No degeneration in the area, no abnormalities, nothing that would indicate a problem with the bones.

I can ask for a repeat in February, when I have my yearly physical, but for now I think that a bone problem is not what I'm facing here.

The chiro adjustments I get (and still get) always relieve the feeling of being "out." And I don't have pain there, even when I need an adjustment; it's more a feeling of not having the free range of motion to move all the way from one side to the other as I turn my head. Cracking the area (when the chiro does that) fixes that feeling.

I may have a ligament or tendon or other problem, and for the time being, I'm going to believe--from the X-rays that were taken not that long ago--that it may likely be something having to do with strength in the area.

Thanks for the thought, though!

I'd still like to hear from anyone who might have neck strengthening exercises particular to keeping one's head raised in a lying position (facing the ceiling).

TIA!

UConnJulie · 11-04-2006, 03:18 PM

I have found personally with my own neck that I need adjustments less frequently when my muscles are strong enough to "hold everything in place".
There are some good isolation or cervical stabilization exercises that should help ...

1. Cervical Nod: lie on your back on a flat surface with a small washcloth rolled up under the arch of your neck. Place one hand across your neck, feeling your sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles (large cord-like muscles running from the base of your skull behind your ear to the center of where your collarbones meet). Slowly drop your chin toward your chest (without lifting your head), ie "nodding", you should NOT feel the SCM muscles contract. This is a LOW EFFORT exercise, you should NOT feel any straining. Only go as far as your body will let you ... do not force anything. As you do this exercise over time, your range will increase. Hold for 10 seconds and perform 8-10 reps, 2-3 times per day. All the movement will feel like it is coming from your upper cervical region (you might feel some stretching along the base of your skull).

There is a progression from this, but honestly if you can master this (so that you can fully nod without activating the SCMs) then doing the supine work on the ball in NROL will continue to get easier. When you are doing those, use your arms/hands for support as needed ... and maintain that "nodded" position while you do it. You will find over time that you need less and less hand support. Avoid letting your chin "poke" out (with all exercises) and you will work those deep stabilizers.

Please let me know if the instructions above are not clear ... I've been looking for a picture to no avail ...

sona · 11-04-2006, 05:55 PM

Julie, thank you so much for this! I've been hoping for something--some exercise--that I can do to make me feel I'm at least trying to strengthen the area. I checked out the SCM muscle in Wikipedia, so I've gotten where it is and what it should feel like under my fingers. I'll give the exercise a try tomorrow at the gym. If I have any questions, I'll come back here and post them.

Again, I appreciate your advice!

Best, Sona

Lisa~ · 11-05-2006, 10:21 AM

Julie, Is that the same exercise that Mike Robertson is calling a Chin Tuck in this article? There's a picture of it too, but it's kinda hard to see what he's doing since the movement is so very small.

Neanderthal No More, Part IV

Mike and Eric also show neck stretches, including a stretch for the SCM. Would you recommend those as well?

UConnJulie · 11-05-2006, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa~

Julie, Is that the same exercise that Mike Robertson is calling a Chin Tuck in this article? There's a picture of it too, but it's kinda hard to see what he's doing since the movement is so very small.

Neanderthal No More, Part IV

Mike and Eric also show neck stretches, including a stretch for the SCM. Would you recommend those as well?

Lisa, yes it is essentially the same exercise ... the big difference (maybe) is the EFFORT of the movement. If we want to train the stabilizers as opposed to the prime movers, the movements need to be low effort. Stabilizers are postural muscles, typically slow twitch, and will "shut off" if the effort is too high. In the neck, the SCM will tend to take over. The movement is also not a true chin tuck, because a chin tuck often flattens out the natural curve in the neck, whereas a "nod" just takes the upper cervical region from a hyperexended position and returns it to neutral.

The stretching can be helpful, IF the SCM, trap, and levator are tight ... if they aren't, then stretching might exacerbate an instability problem. Sort of like people stretching their hams when their pelvis is already anteriorly tilted ... they need to stretch the hip flexors. In the neck, the suboccipital muscles are often very tight as most folks have a forward head (which hyperextends the upper cervicals and puts the lower cervicals in a flexed position, causing C7 spinous process to protrude), so they need to stretch the suboccipitals ... but often the SCM, upper trap, and levator are involved as well (adaptive shortening).

Lisa~ · 11-05-2006, 05:16 PM

Thanks Julie. That was very informative! I appreciate the information.

sona · 11-06-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa~

Thanks Julie. That was very informative! I appreciate the information.

Me too. It helps me very much to learn about this. Thank you, Julie. And Lisa!

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