Yoga Poses to Relieve Neck Pain AKA The Problems of Cell Phone Neck

From www.phonesreview.co.uk

When the first student approached (at this point, years ago), asking what poses would help with tightness she was experiencing in the front of her neck, it was the first time someone came to me with that issue. I showed her some stretches to work on during her home practice and asked her to let me know how it went.

Then, in the same week, two more students separately asked me for advice on the same concern. Other neck issues I was used to: Tightness and pain in the back of the neck? Side of the neck, going down to the shoulders? Those are more common than anyone would like to experience and I would like to see. Front of the neck pain, however, was new to me, and I started wondering what was causing this sudden increase.

With our ever increasing computer usage, students develop not just backside and lateral neck pain; it usually extends along the “iron cross” of neck, shoulders, and upper back. At first, I wondered if the front of neck pain could also be related to computer use. Just looking at someone using a computer told me this wasn’t right. While typing and surfing the web, the back tends to hunch around the thoracic spine (the upper back) and the chin juts forward, compressing the back of the neck. The area around the throat, if anything, is actually elongated.

The real answer came to me during a visit to my parents. My father is attached to his smart phone and watching him read his email, check the news, and log into Facebook, I knew I found my neck problem.

I believe our increased use of cell phones (now averaging two hours a day) will lead to more issues for the all of the neck muscles and the cervical spine. As we tuck our chin to chest to read our closely held devices, we constrict the front of the throat and flatted out the natural curve of the cervical spine.

No wonder students were experiencing tightness along the front of their necks!

Because of this, I've begun to integrate more asanas that release tension in the neck and throat. Here are some great throat openers, which work to get rid of cell phone neck!

Matsyasana (Fish Posture): In addition to elongating the front of the throat, fish posture relieves tension in the back of the neck, regulates the thyroid in the base of the throat, and strengthens the lungs.

Simhasana (Lion's Posture): Also known as Lion's Breath, this posture helps stretch the inside of the throat by extending the tongue towards the chin.

Ustrasana (Camel Posture): Another pose that stretches the front of the throat. If dropping the neck all the way back seems intimidating, use a yoga blanket, wrapped around the neck, as a support to drop back to.