Yoga Poses to Help Stop Neck and Shoulder Pain

Incorporating a regular yoga practice into your lifestyle not only contributes to overall health but also offers numerous therapeutic advantages. Yoga’s holistic approach extends benefits that encompass weight loss, enhanced fitness levels, and effective pain management. The therapeutic potential of yoga becomes particularly evident when addressing persistent neck and shoulder pain, as it provides a series of targeted poses that naturally, gently, and non-invasively alleviate symptoms, all within the comfort and privacy of your own home.

For individuals contending with specific neck vertebrae issues, such as Craniocervical Instability, Cervical Spondylosis, or Torticollis, yoga can present a tailored and supportive approach to ease discomfort. Moreover, those grappling with stress and tension can also find solace in yoga’s calming and restorative practices.

Beyond its targeted benefits, yoga fosters improvements in posture, muscle strength, and stress reduction. Moreover, it enhances flexibility and balance, bolstering overall physical well-being. As a comprehensive wellness tool, yoga emerges as a versatile and empowering practice that caters to a wide range of health needs, promoting harmony and vitality in both body and mind.

The following is a summary of some yoga poses to help stop neck and shoulder pain. If you’re not sure which is the best type of yoga for you,visit LA Fitness yoga types for more information.

The Child’s Pose

The child’s pose is officially referred to as Balasana, and is a simple and uncomplicated posture that is intended to offer prompt relief from nagging neck and shoulder pains. Maneuvering yourself correctly into this pose begins with you kneeling down on the floor with your knees separated by a length equivalent to the width of your hips, and your legs touching each other.

You then lower yourself until you are literally sitting on your heels, followed by shifting your torso towards the floor until it is settled on your knees and thighs, as you exhale slowly. Your arms should then be stretched backwards towards your feet with the palms facing upwards, after which you will set your forehead on the ground and ensure your shoulders are relaxed enough to be able to arch across your back, and lean your entire body towards the floor. Yoga journals recommend that you hold this position for at least a few minutes to accrue the maximum benefit from this resting pose.

The Cow and Cat Pose

The cow and cat poses are formally called Bitilasana and Marjaryasana respectively. Although they can be performed individually, they are most often combined and performed in one continuous motion. The cow pose usually comes first, and is initiated by you getting down on your hands and knees with your back aligned in flat and neutral tabletop posture. Make sure that your neck is properly positioned to have you facing the floor.

Then, with a deep inhalation, raise your chest and hips towards the ceiling, lift your face to look straight ahead, and allow your belly to drop. While exhaling, you can either resume the tabletop position or maneuver rapidly into the cat pose by twisting your spine to face the ceiling and dropping your face in the opposite direction. You should be careful not to overextend yourself by ensuring that your neck and chin do not come in contact with each other. Both these poses should be performed several times to sufficiently warm up and stretch the neck, spine and shoulders.

The Dolphin Pose

The Yoga Journal indicates that the dolphin pose is suitable for opening up the shoulders and increasing your arm, leg, and core strength. The pose starts with you assuming a sitting position on your knees, and then leaning forward until both your arms and forearms are touching the floor with the palms facing downwards. You then lift your knees slowly off the floor while exhaling, and stretch your tailbone towards the ceiling while digging your forearms into the floor. You can bend your knees slightly if you are not agile enough to straighten them completely, but you should refrain from allowing your head to rest heavily on the floor.

You should hold the pose for approximately one minute, before stretching your knees towards the floor.

Further Considerations

Although practicing Yoga is considered a low-risk and therapeutic form of exercise, you should never hold a pose that is painful or causes spasms. You should first attend a class for novices if possible, where a qualified instructor will determine how best to adjust or correct your poses, in accordance with the location and severity of any neck and shoulder pains. There are also many yoga training videos available that focus entirely on these areas