This exercise is the best way to relieve neck pain from sitting for too long, says a physical therapist

My work as a fitness writer has me sitting for hours and, despite having a good desk set up and an ergonomic chair, my posture inevitably gets worse throughout the day. If this sounds familiar, and maybe you feel neck pain begin to creep in too, then there’s an exercise we could all do to help.

According to Dr. Shalin Patel, chiropractor and founder of Town Physical Therapy, we can relieve neck pain by doing cervical retraction exercises.

Patel told Fit&Well that they’re “specifically designed to deal with different types of neck pain by strengthening the neck muscles, improving posture, reducing stiffness and increasing your neck’s range of motion.”

“Neck pain, also known as cervicalgia, is a type of discomfort around or in the spine beneath your head. Alongside back pain and headaches, it’s becoming a major issue with the modern generation of adults who spend most of their time looking at screens and have become inactive.”

What causes neck pain?

There are lots of reasons for neck pain, but two common ones are weak muscles and wear and tear.

“Every individual who spends most of the time looking at the screen—be it work or gaming or binge watching—will have weak neck muscles that will cause neck pain,” says Patel.

“Throughout our lives, we perform a lot of different small and big movements that cause wear and tear on the entire spine, including the cervical region. The discs and joints in our neck also degenerate gradually, ligaments become stiff, and bone spurs form on the edges that pinch the nerve. All of these conditions lead to neck pain.”

How can cervical retraction exercises help?

The cervical retraction exercise offers a non-invasive solution to neck pain. “When medication gives quick and short-term relief, cervical retraction promotes natural and long-term healing of neck pain. It goes from basic to advanced level so that you can get permanent relief from neck pain,” says Patel.

“Our lifestyles make it very hard for us to avoid neck pain. We make mistakes like sitting for a long time without taking frequent breaks, poor posture and sleeping in weird positions that lead to neck pain without us even realizing it. Cervical retraction will do its work to treat your neck pain, but you have to make lifestyle changes so that you don’t get neck pain again and again.”

Patel has made an exercise video that shows how to do the cervical retraction exercise, all you need is a towel or long resistance band. This is a fairly advanced version of a cervical retraction exercise so we’ve listed some variations below it to work your way up to this version.

How to do the cervical retraction exercise

Sets: 1 Reps: 10-20

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and wrap a resistance band or towel around your head.
• Hold both ends of your resistance band or towel at head height in front of you then gently pull your head backwards against the resistance, as shown in the video.
• Hold that position for 5-7 seconds based on your comfort.
• Return to your starting position and repeat 10 to 20 times.

Cervical retraction exercise variations

The exercises below progress from basic to advanced and can all be easily performed at home with minimal equipment. If you’re unsure about whether you should be doing the exercises, contact a physical therapist to get expert in-person advice.

Basic cervical retraction (chin tucks)

Basic cervical retractions, commonly known as chin-tucks, can improve flexibility and reduce pain and stiffness.

Sets: 1 Reps: 10-20

• Sit straight or stand with your feet hip-width apart with your head facing forward.
• With the neck muscles relaxed, slowly move your chin towards your neck.
• Touch your chin to your chest and hold that position for 3 to 5 seconds.
• Return to the starting position and repeat this 10-20 times.

Cervical retraction against a wall

The wall can help you keep your head stable while performing the exercise.

Sets: 1 Reps: 10-15

• Sit or stand with your back against the wall and relax.
• Look forward and keep the back of your head touching the wall.
• Pull your chin towards your neck and gently push the back of your head into the wall. Hold that position for 3 to 5 seconds.
• Return to the starting position and repeat this 10-15 times.

Cervical retraction with overpressure

This move is quite similar to chin tucks but you are adding some pressure with your hand.

Sets: 1 Reps: 10-15

• Sit or stand straight and keep your head facing forward.
• Rest one hand on your chin and slowly push your chin towards your neck.
• When you reach the chest, hold that position for 3 to 5 seconds.
• Return to the starting position and repeat it 10 - 15 times.