Five yoga poses for relieving neck pain

Try and recall the last time you were working at your computer. What was your posture like? Were you slouching in your seat with your spine curved and head bent forward? Or were you sitting ramrod straight, trying and failing to avoid neck strain?

Repetitive stress injury or RSI is among the top causes of neck pain around the world. The pain usually grows over time, because of a repeated motion or bad posture. It can manifest as a dull but constant ache or stiffness and inability to move the neck. According to an estimate, about 20% of the working population in the world suffers from chronic neck pain.

Representational image. Image by AndiP from Pixabay

While its easier to pop a pill to get instant relief from pain - which most of us do - evidence suggests that more and more people are opting for alternative and complementary methods to relieve pain. The topmost among them being yoga. When done under the guidance of an experienced practitioner, yoga exercises not only help get rid of neck pain but also improve muscle flexibility, providing relief from the stiffness that is usually accompanied by neck pain.

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The best thing about yoga is that it can be done anywhere. Here are some yoga poses which help relieve neck pain:

Extended triangle pose:

• Stand straight with your legs 3-4 feet apart
• Raise your arms straight and parallel to the floor so they end up in line with your shoulder blade
• Turn your left foot out to an angle of about 45 degrees so the heel of your left foot comes in line with the heel of your right foot. Your right foot should be straight and at an angle of 90 degrees to your body
• Keeping your arms straight, bend from above your waist towards your left
• Keep bending until your left-palm touches your left foot
• Stay in this position for 30 seconds
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the right

Rabbit pose:

• Sit down with your knees bent
• Bringing your arms from either side, hold your heels with your palms
• Slowly, bring your head forward by bending your torso
• Keep bending until your head touches the ground near your knees
• Taking support from your heels, lift your hips upward
• Curve your spine while rising your hips and press your head near your knees
• Stay in this position for 3-5 breathes
• Gently return to the first position
• Repeat two to three times

Bridge pose:

• Lie down on your back on a yoga mat
• Bend your knees and place your feet on the mat, hip-width apart
• The soles of your feet should be close to your buttocks and your knees should be right above your ankles
• Keep your arms straight on the floor parallel to your body
• Now, raise your body by lifting the buttocks along with the back
• Keep your weight balanced on your feet and shoulders
• Do not lift your arms and avoid moving your neck and head
• Stay in this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute
• Return to the starting position

Fish pose:

• Lie down on your back
• Place your palms under your buttocks. The inside of your palm should be facing the ground
• Breathe in and slowly lift your chest. Do not lift your head
• Stay in this position for 15-20 seconds
• Come back to the starting position while exhaling

Camel pose:

• Kneel on the floor with your thighs slightly apart
• Now, slowly bend backwards from your waist up
• Bring your arms back and hold your heels with your palms. Make sure that your arms are straight
• Stay in this position for 30 seconds and then return back to normal

End your practice with savasana or sleeping pose. Just lie down on the floor or mat with your eyes closed and let your muscles relax. You can stay in the sleeping pose for up to five minutes.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health. To know more on this topic, please visit https://www.myupchar.com/en/yoga