1Cervical Retraction
- Stand or sit with an upright posture.
- Draw the chin slightly down and back.
- The movement you are aiming for is a horizontal translation, like a lollypop on a stick.
- A prompt which may be helpful is “imagine giving yourself a double chin”.
- You will feel a gentle activation of the muscles in the anterior aspect of the neck.
Hourly
2Cervical Rotation
- Lying on your back with your neck relaxed.
- Push through your cheekbone to assist your neck to rotate/turn.
- Only push as far as you feel comfortable – don’t force it.
2-3 x daily
3Cervical Rotation
- Sitting upright in a chair.
- Use the long edge of a towel or a pillow case and sit it across the affected level as indicated by your therapist, with one edge of the towel/pillow case in either hand.
- Apply a comfortable but firm pressure by pulling the ends of the towel/pillow case keeping the ends in-line with your eye level/height.
- Maintaining this pressure, lower one arm below your shoulder (this is the side you will turn to).
- Turn your head to look over your shoulder as far as comfortable, towards the side of the arm you just lowered – your other hand should follow your line of sight, always maintaining the same pressure.
- Repeat this exercise as instructed by your physiotherapist.
2-3 x daily