Exercises for the cervicals: the best positions to relax your cervicals

the nape supports Not only much of the weight of the head but also a lot of nervous tension that the body experiences: unconsciously, the first thing we do when we feel pressured or overwhelmed is raise your shoulderswhich tense all the cervical muscles.

The continuous work in front of a computer also increases the tension in this areasince the muscles of the eyeballs move in coordination with those of the upper part of the neck. It is important to be aware of that tension that is accumulating in order to stop it.

Why do the cervicals hurt?

We spend a large part of the day sitting in front of a screen with our eyes focused for hours. This leads us to generate imbalances throughout our body, but specifically in the neck and cervical they look very angry. Chronic pain in this area is a common cause of discomfort and even sick leave.

The neck is connected to the entire body, so when trying to find and address the cause of neck pain, we shouldn’t just focus on this area. Often, this discomfort is the result of focusing too intensely on a single task, in this case, for example, staring at a computer screen without moving anything but your eyes, without a break.

What is the relationship between the neck, the skull and the eyes? At the upper back of the neck are the suboccipital muscles. These muscles, attached to the occipital bone at the base of the skull, respond to eye movements. However, its functions go further and even intervene in the coordination of the rest of the dorsal musculature.

It looks great on cats. Why do they land on their feet? When in the air, they use their eyes and inner ear to orient their heads horizontally. This puts certain stresses on your suboccipital muscles. that the brain captures through stretch receptors and, reflexively, orders the rest of the spinal muscles to organize the spine from the neck and the legs are placed below before touching the ground.

We work in a similar way. The use of our eyes and neck will determine the habitual tone of the rest of the dorsal musculature and, consequently, of the entire spine.

How to prevent neck pain

Moving your neck while in front of a computer will improve balance, coordination, and mobility when standing up and walking. If the first cervicals are blocked, the vestibular system of balance cannot function well, because the semicircular canals of the ear are related to the eye.

Instant exercise to relax the cervical area

Every time you notice that the head wants to hide between the shouldersyou can start with drop it so that it resumes its natural position, stretching the neck:

Sit down with legs crossed and back straight.Inhale and stretch your arms above your head. until the palms of the hands join. Try to keep your shoulders down and your core firm to protect your lower back.As you exhale, slowly drop your head forward., without forcing, bringing the chin to the chest. Notice how she is stretching her neck. Breathe deeply for a few seconds and return to the starting position, undoing the steps.

If the tension is still excessive, you can practice different exercises and stretches.

Isometric exercises are especially useful, that is, those that do not involve movement. Only hands are placed where appropriate and pressure is for about ten seconds, massaging the muscles of the cervical area.

If the exercise is annoying, you have to stop practicing it.

Routine of exercises and postures to relax the cervical

We present a series of exercises to release eye and neck tension, as well as to strengthen the deep muscles of this area and improve general mobility. In addition, by understanding the relationship between the eyes and the neck, we will give importance to active breaks during work and at the end of the day.

Working in front of the computer pushes us to lose consciousness of our body. Bringing awareness to the neck is key to maintaining a comfortable and healthy postureeven to move and feel the rest of the body.