International Yoga Day 2023: Neck pain can cause discomfort and irritation if it is recurring or prolonged. Here are some yoga poses to reduce and avoid neck pains.
International Yoga Day 2023: Bending forward position can help reduce neck pain
Neck pain can be extremely uncomfortable. It may even affect your mood and make you irritated. There can be various causes of neck pain, some of which are, wearing off joints, compression in the neck, straining muscles, injuries, and diseases. In case of occasional neck pain, you might not have to worry about it. A painkiller might be effective in keeping the pain at bay.
However, prolonged or recurring neck pain might adversely affect your body and mood. Furthermore, it might affect productivity during the day as well as the quality of sleep at night. Besides seeking professional help and altering your diet, you can try various exercises and stretches to help aid your neck pain. Yoga is considered a helpful workout regime to cure various joint pains including neck pain.
International Yoga Day 2023: Here are 3 yoga poses to help you with prolonged or recurring neck pain:
1. Cat-cow position
This yoga pose is proven to be helpful in relieving pain from the neck. This is how you perform the cat-cow pose:
- Get on your knees and hands (How you would imitate a four-legged animal)
- Lift you back upwards, forming a mountain-like structure
- While you do that, make sure you push your face inwards, looking at your own torso
- Now, push your back inwards, forming a 'U' position with your back
- While you do that, look towards the ceiling
- Repeat mountain motion with face inwards and then ‘U' structure with face upwards for a minute
- Do not speed up, In fact, you are advised to switch positions slowly and gradually
2. Bending forward while standing position
This is one of the easiest yoga poses and is considered fit for beginners. This pose helps release any pent-up tension that may exist in the neck or the torso. This is how you perform the standing forward bending pose:
- Stand straight
- Now, slowly bend forward
- The goal is to place your palms on the floor (folding your body in half)
- Touching your toes may also be enough if you are unable to bend far enough
- At this point, your face is supposed to be facing your legs (your head facing the floor)
- Repeat this a few times in small intervals
3. Handclasp on the back
This is another effective pose to release stress from the neck. It is also a helpful pose to stretch and work out the arms. This pose has proven to have better flexibility in the arms. This is how you can perform on the back handclasp:
- Place your right hand on your back, reaching from over the shoulder
- At this point, your right elbow should be facing the sky
- Your right arm is supposed to be next to your face, folded backward
- Now, take your left arm and try to touch your right hand, however, coming from under the shoulder joint (touching your lower back)
- At this point, your left hand is supposed to be touching your right hand
- Hold this position for about 10-20 seconds and then switch
- The switch would consist of your left arm now going behind the head over your shoulder and your right hand grasping the other from under the shoulder joint and placed over the lower back
- Repeat this for 2-3 mins
You can try incorporating a few more poses besides these commonly known yoga positions. These positions are easy to do and ideal for beginners. However, a combination of yoga positions needs to be accompanied by a healthy diet. Furthermore, in case of prolonged or recurring neck pain, we insist you see a doctor and seek proper treatment. These positions may be an addition to your treatment and may not work exclusively.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
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