#232 Tuck in your chin

Nope, this guy is not pondering what to eat for dinner, he is practicing the wonderful technique of neck retraction...

Many chronic pain conditions lead to a lot of time spent in bed or sitting in a chair, and whether head/neck/back pain was part of your initial pain situation at the onset or not, often they will come as secondary symptoms after some years. A wonderful physiotherapist at (what used to be the only) pain specialist clinic in Oslo, Smerteklinikken at Aker Sykehus, showed me this annoyingly simple neck exercise and to this day it is one of the best things I can do to prevent and reduce neck pain and headaches...

Stand up against a wall and face straight ahead. Gently pull your head back towards the wall, and retract your neck by tucking in your chin. Hold for 5 seconds. Keeping your face level, without looking up or down, relax and let your neck slip forward again, then tuck in your chin again. Repeat five times. 

I also use this when I'm stuck in an uncomfortable sitting position in a car/bus/train/plane to prevent and minimize neck pain. Tuck in my chin, hold, relax, and repeat.

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