Also check this post in another thread:
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Remaining mobile & flexible especially as we age is critical to staying physically active & functional. You made good points about how the body compensates for the “weaker links”!
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The cause you’ve written there could describe what I’m going through. However, when it comes to treatment, so far I feel like I go round in circles. I’m pretty sure my trapezius is lengthened and weak from how I’ve been lying down with just my head up, so I’ve been trying to strengthen it, but when I do I get really bad DOMS for days and the pain from that affects my breathing and makes the front of the neck tight and I end up back at square one. I have also tried chin tucks for the deep neck flexors (an exercise prescribed to me by an osteopath) but having my chin down makes everything worse and considering that my method of injury was lying down on my back with just my head up (essentially chin tucked) I’m not sure if this is actually just making everything worse. Ive been looking at exercises from the Prehab Guys and also videos from MSK neurology https://m.youtube.com/@MSKNeurology but nothing has worked so far, although I haven’t stuck with anything long term. I’m really interested in this though, so please provide updates on how you’re getting on.
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@Skatkat - If you do have ES or HBS, the chin tuck exercises are probably not a good idea at this time. Once you’ve had surgery to take care of one or both of those & after a bit of recovery, then that particular exercise could be very helpful.
I assume you’ve changed the way you sleep i.e. w/ head elevation but w/ shoulder support? If not, a wedge pillow can help provide graduated head elevation so neck & shoulders stay lined up better w/ your head when sleeping or resting while reclined.
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Thank you, that’s really helpful. I’m going to avoid doing the chin tucks because it only makes the pain worse. I have been sleeping with one pillow and usually try to sleep on my side and avoid any kind of slouching that results in a chin tuck at all costs, otherwise I just end up in so much pain.
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Can truly empathise with the conundrum you’re dealing with, I’m in the exact same situation where trying to treat one thing will very often end up just setting off a driver that’s triggering another thing. I’m also doing MSK neurology’s exercises and do find they help give me a bit of relief after doing them sometimes, but boy oh boy do we need patience with this sort of thing ha. Will of course update if I’ve made some progress.
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Hi Vdm
Came across this post randomly and my answer is yes. I just thought it’s because putting the hand under the head reduces the pressure on the pillow and thus less compression.
What do you think
I more and more lean towards the idea, that it’s imbalance between neck flexors and erector muscles causing a lot of tension on the neck, and thus engaging other muscles (scalenes, SCMs, traps, Leve scapulae) to compensate, which makes the neck lose its curvature and strength. The consequences are various compressions of the blood vessels, nerves, lymphatic ducts and likely obstruction of free CSF flow in the spinal canal too. But that’s just my speculation.
Putting the arms while lying on your back like that theoretically reduces certain tensions in pectoralis muscles.
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In a similar vein, when sitting, if i put my shoulders backwards, it relieves the tension in my neck.
Perhaps there is truly a muscular imbalance somewhere
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Sounds like front/back imbalance (pectoralis maj/min vs rhomboids, traps).
This one might be worth checking:
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Thanks
I will check
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There is also Upper Crossed Syndrome & Lower Crossed Syndrome which go hand in hand & are a consequence of poor posture especially when sitting a lot. You can look those up on Google & on YouTube there are videos of exercises that can help correct the imbalances in muscles involved.
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Great infos. Probably, specifically cause of acting as levers at rotations, elongated styloids get broken by some people.
I rerecently found excercises which help me enormously with my CCI, neck issues (and even quite a bit with brain fog and fatigue). Now I guess, I understand better, why: they involve pretty much thoracic muscles and improve flexibility in this region. Would gladly share them here:
(880) ЧЕРЕНОК® - оздоровительная методика от доктора Сергея Чернова - YouTube
Unfortunately, everything is in Russian. But even if you just repeat it without listening, I guess one can get pretty fast how to make it. I am very gratefull to that guy. The excersises not only help (not only with neck, in a great lot of things), but also make fun and look very beautiful. For me, best fitness ever!
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Hey @Irina777 Can you suggest 1-3 videos of his that you think are the most essential ones to start with?
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Sure. I started from these ones:
https://www.youtube.com/live/0HCSkUc4BR8?si=WuS9RJW7ybSaxQ4n from 6:19
https://youtu.be/Fsfb0Ym6GAg?si=n6X1MuzcRl5UDKVy from 0:50
https://www.youtube.com/live/v29Bg3-Fz-E?si=KP1-mw9FZnRuSu9N from 2:30
https://www.youtube.com/live/lYqLLh_eGao?si=wcmf7W7-9zQ5DCXF from 1:45
He also suggests these ones for the beginners:
In the beginning, I would start slowly, not making the whole workout, otherwise it can overload your muscles and make it only worse. And would not make it every day at the very start.
If training at home, be carefull not to break things around you, especially chandelier… Better to make it outside.
He suggests to use a stick 120 cm long and around 3 cm in diameter. But for hometraining, I would suggest to take one approximately 100-105 cm in length.
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@Irina777 - Thank you for the video links. I see what you mean about doing the exercises outside so not to break things inside 
! His movements are very fluid, & I can definitely see the benefit these exercises would be to helping maintain the body’s flexibility. I have a pole I use for Pilates mat work. If it’s not too heavy, I’ll try out some of his movements.
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I started with a metal shovel handle) It passed perfectly. Later bought a wooden gymnastic stick. Although it is just 2,2 cm in diameter, it’s right for me, since my hand is small. He himself trains on many videos with wooden spade/shovel handle)) They turned out to have exactly the right diameter and length. Now he also sells his own wooden sticks for home training, they are short and with metall weightings on the ends for better “fligt”. And there is also a payed video cours he offers and gives as a present if you buy his sticks.
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Mine is a wooden hanger rod from one of our closets. I put caps on the ends so they aren’t so rough.
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Very inventive
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Thank you so much!
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