Do you work in an office? If so, chances are you have neck and upper back pain. Do you get massages and shoulder rubs which temporarily relieve your pain, only to revert back a couple of days later?

I don’t know your situation, but I do know that as a trainer and a massage therapist, approximately 80% of my clients complain of tension in their necks and upper backs. Many of these clients work office jobs and suffer from the dreaded “tech neck,” and many of them receive upper back and neck massages to no avail.

This happens because while the upper back and neck are taking the hit for our poor posture, they are usually not the root cause of our issues. In order to relieve tension and pain in the upper back, shoulders, and neck, we’ve got to hit the muscles in the front of our body as well as the back. Try the sequence below, switching movements after 1-2 minutes each.

Massage Your Pecs

Working on your own pectoral muscles is a little awkward. In the pictures below, I demonstrate some of the movements using a lacrosse ball, but you can get the same benefit by using your fingers or a soft fist.

There are a lot of nerves that run through this area, so please remember that any tingling down the arm/pins and needles/fingers falling asleep should prompt you to move the lacrosse ball off of the spot that it’s on. An inch to the left/right/up/down normally does the trick.

• Place the lacrosse ball (your fingers or a soft fist) against the outer chest, right inside of the crease between the chest and the shoulder.
• Begin by applying pressure and rolling the lacrosse ball in small circular motions. Do not roll the lacrosse ball over breast tissue (because ouch).
• Find a spot in the pecs that feels tense, apply a bit of pressure, and then move the arm through some range of motion: reach forward and pull back, move the arm out to your side and above your head, etc.
• Pick a few spots on the pecs and perform similar ranges of motion.

Stretch Your Pecs

The goal with any pec stretch is to lengthen the muscles in the chest, so we place our hand or arm against an anchored surface and turn the chest away from that surface, relaxing the shoulder so that we can pull the front of the shoulder away from the midline.

To target the different fibers in the pecs, perform this stretch with the arm:

• Down by the hip
• Parallel to the floor
• At a diagonal angle up from the shoulder

Stretch Your Lats

• Begin in a kneeling position with a box/chair/couch at an arm’s length in front of you.
• Place your hands face down on the surface.
• Reach your hips back and drop your chest down toward the ground.

Stretch Your Upper Traps

• Begin standing or seated with your torso upright.
• Push the palm of one hand toward the floor (lowering your shoulder away from your ear).
• Use the fingers of the opposite hand to lightly assist the neck to flex toward the opposite shoulder.

The goal is to create as much space as possible between the ear and the shoulder.

Relax Your Suboccipitals

Having a strong finger position is essential for this technique.

• Cross your middle finger behind your index finger and hold both straight.
• Place the fingers directly below the back of the “ridge” of the skull on one side.
• Move fingers in a circular motion and apply pressure.
• With pressure applied, move the head through some ranges of motion.
• For better results, perform this exercise lying down with the head and neck completely relaxed.

Please note: this routine is not guaranteed to yield results. I am not a medical professional, and I cannot diagnose, treat, nor prescribe. My advice should not replace the advice of your medical team. Do not do these drills if you suspect that they will exacerbate your pain.

The post 10 Minutes to a Happier Neck appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

The brain is in control of the gas pedal and it controls how much juice it puts into a muscle. It will inhibit (neural down regulate) one muscle in a pattern and facilitate (neural up regulate) another in an attempt to gain stability. It robs Peter to pay Paul.

The brain is a lazy piece of meat and it does not like to work hard. It cheats and takes the easy way out every chance it gets. When dysfunctional movement patterns exist, the brain will simply choose an easier alternate path to accomplishing a given task.

The Neck Is Connected to the Hamstrings

For example, if the deep core stabilizing system of your body is unstable, your nervous system will simply recruit more superficial power amplifiers to take over. One of the most common relationships is inhibition (weakness) of the deep neck flexors to facilitation (tightness) in the hamstrings.

“INSTABILITY SIGNALS THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM TO PUT THE BRAKES ON POWER OUTPUT BECAUSE IT FEELS THREATENED. A LACK OF STABILITY IS THREAT TO YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM.”

Lack of stability in the neck causes a reflex compensation in the hamstrings to take over the job of the neck flexors. This relationship can commonly be seen in the standing to touch test.

In this test, feet are together and legs are straight with no knee bending. Look down at your toes (neck flexors) and then flex forward at the waist to touch your toes. If the neck flexors are inhibited the nervous system senses threat and instability, so on the way down to touch the toes it stiffens the hamstrings so you don’t fall forward hurting yourself.

So from this we learn that the key to power is not pressing harder on the gas pedal, but simply taking your foot off the brake. You will automatically go faster.

A Deeper Look at the Core

Let’s take a look at some of the structures in the deep core stabilizing system based on the work of Thomas Myers.

The deep core line (shown in red here) is the primary stabilizing system of the body.

The Deep Core:

• Temporalis
• Masseter
• Scalenes
• Hyoid Muscles
• Longus Colli and Capitis
• Diaphragm
• TVA
• Psoas
• Quadratus Lumborum
• Iliacus
• Pelvic Floor
• Adductors
• Posterior Tibialis
• Toe Flexors

According to Myers, the deep core line is the primary stabilizing system of the body. Dysfunction in this system leads to compensation patterns, energy leaks, and decreased force production and power output. It’s the master cylinder for your engine. Envision a car with an eight-cylinder engine only firing on four cylinders. It has the power capacity, but can’t unleash it. Athletes often try to get more power out of their engine rather than first ensuring all eight of their cylinders are firing.

“YOUR BODY WILL STEAL STABILITY FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE. IT WILL ROB YOU OF STRENGTH IN ONE PATTERN AND GIVE IT TO YOU IN ANOTHER. THAT’S CALLED A COMPENSATION.”

The deep neck flexors (longus colli and capitis) flex, side bend, and rotate the head. They do a ton of stuff. Assessing them is critical. So, how can you determine if the deep neck flexors are inhibited and if they are how can you reset them?

Do the first part of the video below with the thumb under the chin for ten seconds. Thumb placement ensures you are not using too much of your other neck flexors like the anterior scalene and sternocleidomastoid.

Do you feel fatigue, soreness, discomfort, shaking, or the need to hold your breath during this exercise? If so that indicates the muscle may be inhibited and needs activation. The key is to activate the neck flexors after releasing areas of your body that have been prone to tightness and stiffness.

Let’s walk through what to do if your problem area is your hamstrings. First, do a toe-touch test and see if your hamstrings feel tight and if you can’t reach the toes with your fingers. Foam roll the hamstrings for 30-45 seconds. Then lie on your back and do the neck activation drill in the video.

Things to remember:

• Hold ball under chin for 20 seconds
• Sideband right and left four times keeping control of the ball
• Rotate right and left four times maintaining control of the ball
• Do not hold your breath
• Do not clench your jaw

Stand and repeat the toe-touch test. Did you get further? Did you feel more stable getting there? Apply this reset to any other muscle where you feel tightness. Common culprits are the thigh adductors and quadratus lumborum.

Regress to Progress

Your body will steal stability from somewhere else in order to feel safe. It will rob you of strength in one pattern and give it to you in another. That’s called a compensation. Tap into the power of your nervous system to unleash power. Regress to progress.

To become a badass you don’t always have to go stronger, harder, faster, and longer. Pull back on the throttle to expand your comfort zone in movement and your body will grant you the strength.

More Like This:

• The Top 5 Exercises to Strengthen Your Neck
• 4 Drills to Strengthen and Injury-Proof Your Neck
• 3 Quick and Simple Ways to Alleviate Neck Pain or Stiffness

References:
1. Cook, Gray. Movement: Functional Movement Systems: Screening, Assessment, and Corrective Strategies. Aptos, CA: On Target Publications, 2010. Print.
2. Elphinston, Joanne. Stability, Sport, and Performance Movement: Great Technique without Injury. Chichester, England: Lotus Pub., 2008. Print.
3. Myers, Thomas W. Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2001. Print.
4. Weinstock, David. NeuroKinetic Therapy: An Innovative Approach to Manual Muscle Testing. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic, 2010. Print.

The post Are Your Weak Neck Muscles Making Your Hamstrings Tight? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.