The neck side bend is a stretch for neck pain. Sitting tall with both shoulders down, you tip one ear toward the shoulder on the same side until you feel a light pull along the other side of your neck. You hold it for fifteen seconds, switch sides, and do three stretches on each side.
This is one of the home exercises in our physician-directed physiotherapy program. Only do it if it is marked on the home exercise sheet your physician gave you. Unless your sheet says otherwise, do your checked exercises twice a day, every day.
How do you do the neck side bend?
- Get set: Sit up straight. Let both shoulders sink down and stay there.
- Move: Let your ear drift toward that shoulder and stop when the far side of your neck feels a soft pull. Come back to center and tip to the other side.
- Repeat: Hold fifteen seconds. Three times on each side.
Why does the neck side bend help neck pain?
The muscles that run down the sides of the neck tighten and guard when the neck has hurt for a while. That guarding can tug on the joints and nerves that pain procedures target. A slow side stretch lets those muscles lengthen again.
How does it fit with your pain procedures?
If you just had a neck procedure, such as a cervical epidural, a medial branch block or radiofrequency ablation, your physician tells you the day to pick these back up. Relief from a procedure is the window to rebuild the muscles that hold your neck up.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Raising your shoulder to meet your ear. The ear goes to the shoulder, not the other way around.
- Twisting your chin while you tip your head.
- Using your hand to drag your head further, unless your physician showed you how.
When should you stop and call us?
Feeling a light stretch, some effort, or mild soreness the next morning is expected. Stop the exercise and call (314) 481-5000 if you notice:
- Pain that is sharp or stabbing
- Pain that climbs two or more points above your usual level and stays up for over an hour
- Numbness, tingling or weakness that is new
- Dizziness or any change in your eyesight
Chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting is an emergency: call 911.
Why keep an exercise log?
Mark one check each time you finish your exercises, and write down one pain number a day. Bring the log to each visit. Your technician tallies the days and has you show one exercise, so any form problem gets caught early.
What to remember
- Ear toward shoulder; the shoulder stays low.
- A soft pull is the goal, never a sharp one.
- Fifteen seconds, three times each side.
Show us you have it: Show your technician one side bend and tell us where you feel the stretch. If any part is unclear, ask, and we will walk through it again at your next visit.
Other neck exercises in the program
- Chin Tuck Exercise for Neck Pain
- Neck Rotation Exercise for Neck Pain
- Shoulder Blade Squeeze for Neck Pain
Related reading: neck pain we treat, headaches that start in the neck, neck pain that lingers for months.