7 exercises for cervical (and emotional) pain

By Pedro Junguitu

It is not by chance that cervical pain appears when we are stressed or worried. Stress, stiffness, lack of confidence end up loading the vertebrae and are expressed in the form of pain. We can alleviate this by doing these stretches and improving our posture, but we need to go one step further.

Why do my cervicals hurt? The emotion behind each vertebra

Finding out which vertebra the discomfort comes from will give us the information to solve the discomfort. What does pain mean according to its location?

  • The 1st vertebra cervical supports the head. If I worry too much about a problem, my head will be weighing more and more until it hurts. So I’ll have to learn to trust and keep calm.
  • The pain in the 2nd vertebra is related to the absence of emotional expression. If I lock my frustrations inside, learn to connect with emotions can be the solution.
  • The 3rd vertebra usually fails When I feel like I can’t count on anyone. It will be necessary to regain trust in others and establish nutritional links.
  • The 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th vertebrae hurt when I hear something that upsets me and I don’t express it. Then the aggressiveness. I can communicate my anger through writing, music, painting…

Simple exercises to take care of your cervicals

Provide local heat and perform this series of exercises once a day (without forcing, if you feel pain; you have to stop) will help. breathe correctly also, because a better diaphragm mobility benefits the nervous system relaxing shoulders and neck.

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1 Cervical rotation of the spine

  1. Standingwith feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other, place the straight back with relaxed shoulders grab the elbow on the side you are turning your head from behind your sword with the opposite hand.
  2. make the gesture of want to see what is behind you. Turn your head until you feel the stretch taking place but no sharp or stabbing pain.
  3. Repeat the same to the other side, exchanging the position of the hands.

Synchronize the breath with the movement. Each time you inhale, turn to one side, and on the exhale, return to the center. Let the breath come deep but naturally, without exaggerating it.

2 Lateral Neck Stretch

  1. Sitting on the edge of a chair Keep your back straight, shoulders relaxed, and feet parallel to each other. Put one hand on the thigh and the other on the head so that the middle finger sits just above the ear on the opposite side.
  2. Make a Lateral tilt of the head without inclining the trunk, like wanting to touch the shoulder with the ear.
  3. Repeat to the other side and with the other hand. Hold the stretch for 5 breaths. nasal, slow and deep, but without exaggeration.

Do not pull with your hand, do not exert extra force to tilt your head.

3 Oblique Neck Stretch

  1. Sitting on the edge of a chairKeep your back upright with your shoulders relaxed. The legs are apart hip-width apart and feet parallel to each other. Place one hand on the thigh and the other on the head, so that the palm of the hand covers the area of ​​the crown of the head.
  2. Make a cervical rotation and flexion bringing the chin closer to the shoulder of the hand that is on the head. The movement is as if we wanted to bring our eyes to the hip. Hold the stretch for 5 breaths. nasal, slow and deep.
  3. Repeat changing hands and sides.
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Combine a movement of flexion and rotation, as if you wanted to look at your hip.

4 Spinal stretch

  1. Sitting on the edge of a chairkeep your back straight and your feet parallel to each other. Interlock your fingers above the nape of the neck and bring your elbows closer everything you can between them.
  2. Bring the chin to the chestkeeping your back straight at all times.
  3. Pull shoulders back slightly for 5 breaths nasal, slow, deep and natural.

You should not exert more force than that exerted by the same weight of the arms.

5 isometric exercises

  1. Sitting on the edge of a chairStand tall with your shoulders relaxed and your feet parallel to each other.
  2. Place the palm of the hand on the temple on your same side. The head exerts a force opposite to that of the hand.. It is about contracting the muscles without moving the joints.
  3. Perform the exercise to both sides, changing hands, for 5 breaths nasal, slow and deep in each of the positions.

This exercise can also be done by placing the hand on the forehead or on the nape of the neck.

6 back stretch

  1. Sit on the floor with the sacrum close to the wall. Put the soles of your feet togetherhug them with your hands and let your knees fall to the sides.
  2. Bend the trunk forward bringing the forehead towards the feetleaving shoulders and neck relaxed. Hold the pose for 5 breaths. nasals.

7 Opening of the throat

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of the feet resting on the ground. Place several cushions under your backin line with the shoulders.
  2. Drop your head back so that it rests on the crown of the head. Hold the pose for 5 slow, nostril breaths.
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Use cushions that are about 10 cm thick, but adjust them according to your needs. Avoid stinging sensations.

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