Simple Neck Mobility Routine for Spondylosis

Today we are talking about cervical spondylosis and specifically 6 tips for exercising with cervical spondylosis as seen in the video Simple Neck Mobility Routine + 5 Tips to Stay Active During the Holidays

Living with neck pain and stiffness from cervical spondylosis or age related changes can be frustrating. Incorporating simple neck mobility exercises into your routine can be one way to help manage symptoms.

Remember if you are experiencing injury or pain, make sure to see your Physiotherapist or healthcare professional prior to participating in exercise. This blog post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for individual physiotherapy assessment and treatment. 

Warmup. With your arms by your side, roll your shoulders forwards. Repeat 8 times then roll your shoulders back.

1. Chin tucks. Place two fingers on your chin. Tuck your chin back like you are giving yourself a double chin. Then relax. Repeat 8 times.

2. Neck rotation. Starting by looking ahead, turn your neck to look behind your right shoulder. Then turn to look over your left shoulder. Repeat 8 times to each side. When completing range of motion exercises, aim to move to the point where it begins to feel tight. You should not feel any sharp or sudden pain.

3. Lateral flexion. Again, starting by looking ahead, keeping your shoulders still this time bend your neck to bring your right ear toward your right shoulder. Repeat, bringing your left ear toward your left shoulder. Repeat 8 times to each side. You should feel a stretch in the upper trapezius muscles at the side of the neck. Again, you should not feel any sharp or sudden pain.

4. Flexion and extension. Facing forward, look down to bring your chin toward your chest. Then bring your head up and look back toward the sky. Repeat 8 times.

5. Scapula retraction. With your arms by your side and elbows bent, pull your elbows back behind you. Pause, then come back to the starting position. Repeat 8 times.

6. Thoracic extension. Place your hands behind your head. Lift your chest slightly and extend through the upper back. Pause, then come back to the starting position.

In summary, this routine covered some simple neck mobility exercises. I hope this information has been helpful. To hear me talk on these tips, the accompanying video can be found on the Age Fit with Tess Youtube channel.

To find out if you are on track with your exercise program, the Age Fit with Tess Self Assessment can be found here.

Tess Halbauer

Physiotherapist