With this cold snap we are having and people needing to be active I am seeing a lot of stiff necks in my Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area Chiropractic office.  The problem comes from the muscle being cold and the blood supply to it being decreased from the cold.  Than you do some activity and the muscle isn’t ready for it.  Leading to pulling of the muscle and the spasm to follow.  The levator scapulae muscle is the most common one for those of you who want to google it!

The muscle runs from the top medial part of your shoulder blade up in to your neck.  So the way to stretch it is to separate those two structures.  You can do the stretch standing or sitting.

1. Lengthen the muscle by raising the elbow above the shoulder on the side to stretch.
2. In this position, first rest the elbow against a door jamb. This rotates the outside of shoulder blade up and the inside of it down, which lengthens the levator scapula muscle.
3. Second, turn the head away from the side that is stretching and bring the chin down, stretching the back of the neck .
4. Third, place the fingers of the other hand on the top of the head and gently pull the head forward increasing the stretch slightly.

Hold this for about 30 seconds to a minute.

If this helps great you got some relief before going to your chiropractor.  If they didn’t call for an appointment because it won’t usually improve on its own.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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