As we age, joint structures degenerate.
A self-assessment can reveal how your cervical spine moves to get to maintain proper neck rotation.
I always stress the importance of alignment, and the neck is no exception.
Having good spine/ribcage alignment is the foundation upon which good movement patterns sit.
Pham says just because rotating your neck isnt painful doesnt mean youre moving optimally.
Thats where self-assessing your neck comes in and learning what proper neck rotation actually looks like.
If you flex forward, on the other hand, he says you over-recruit your extrinsic cervical rotators.
And theres a simple way to do so.
Practice rotating your neck slowly with your arms elevated using a pillow.
Think of it as a regression.
If you cant squat with weights cleanly, practice squats using only your body weight.
Similarly, if you cant rotate cleanly, practice rotations with a pillow under your arms.
physical therapist and co-founder ofMyodetox
Next, do this head, neck, and shoulder stretch to loosen things up:
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