Sitting down for hours, with shoulders rolling forward, the head looking downward… Or just sleeping in a bad position, sleeping on a too high pillow… Stiffness caused by the overreaching shoulders we all get when stressed out. All these bad habits we have can cause a lot of tension and pain on our neck and shoulders every day.
It is then important to mention that you should first address these points to fix your neck and shoulders muscle knots. Even if of course, knowing how to fix and relieve muscular tensions right now on the spot is more than handy. Rather than always having to fix your body, think about how you could prevent it from damage in the first place.
When you’re sitting down, stand nice and tall with the shoulders aligned with your hips. When using a device, try to have it at eyes height.
Don’t wait to be sore to adopt a better posture. Every 20 minutes, stand up and move your body, like simply making circles with your head and your arms.
Ditch away your fat pillow and replace it with a more ergonomic one. And trust me, a user-friendly, efficient and comfy pillow is not expensive at all. Look for a pillow that is high and cushioning enough to allow the curve of your neck to be fulfilled. Anything higher or lower than your natural cervical curve, will create damage.
When you go on through your day, don’t forget to BREATHE! Seriously!
I always caught myself being in apnea, with a very shallow breath. So pay attention to the way you breathe. Oxygenate your body, your muscles, and pull those nervous shoulders back down as often as you think of it.
How to fix muscle knots in your neck and shoulders in less than 3 minutes
If you prefer, here’s a follow along video so you can follow and reproduce what I’m doing as I’m going through the process.
Otherwise, here’s my step-to-step guide on how to release those naughty knots on the neck and shoulders:
Don’t go too far into the stretches, if you feel an abnormal pain at any time, you went too far.
It is very important to take slow deep breaths in and out during the whole process:
1 ➝ For 30 seconds, use at least 2 fingers to massage the left trapezius muscle. Make VERY SLOW and profound circular movements going from just behind the shoulder all the way up to the base of your skull. Do the same thing for 30 seconds on the other side.
2 ➝ For 30 seconds, very slowly bend your head forward, then release your head up straight before slowly taking it back down again. Make sure it is your head, and only your head that is moving, do not accompany the movement with your upper body.
3 ➝ For 30 seconds, very slowly turn your head to the left and to the right. Focus on trying to reach as far as you can without feeling any pain.
4 ➝ For 15 seconds, make very slow head circles to the left. Do the same thing for 15 seconds to the right. As always here, breathe deeply.
Optional: For extra work on muscle release, pick a tight and sore spot on your neck/shoulder. For 30 seconds, use 2 fingers and tuck them in on this same spot. Keep your fingers tight on the spot and slowly incline your head to the opposite side, then bring it back to the center. Do the same thing on the other side.