Top 5 Benefits of Neck and Shoulder Stretches

 

Ever wonder why giving your neck and shoulders a good stretch is so important?

Our neck and shoulders are like stress magnets from our daily activities. That’s the reason many people end up with persistent pain.. Stretching isn't just about relieving the pain; it's relaxing  the muscles in your neck and shoulders. 

Stretching any part of your body does provide many benefits, but in this case I’m just going to focus on some specific benefits targeting the neck and shoulder: 

I have a specific stretching routine that focuses on the neck and shoulder that you can do any time. You can watch it here.

 1.- Relieve tension and stress: We usually accumulate a significant amount of tension and stress in the shoulder and neck area. By stretching these muscles, it helps release the build-up tension and helps reduce the stress levels. 

2.- Improve Flexibility: Stretching regularly improves not only flexibility in the muscles but also the joints. Flexibility contributes to a better range of motion and prevents stiffness.

3.- Reduce pain and discomfort: Most people tend to have pain or discomfort in the shoulder and neck muscles, most of the time due to poor posture, long hours of sitting and stress. Stretching helps alleviate this pain by promoting better blood circulation and releasing tightness in the muscles.

4.- Enhancing posture: Stretching does play an important role in improving or correcting a bad posture. Tight muscles can contribute to poor posture. Stretching regularly helps counteract this by strengthening the muscles and correcting the posture. 

5.- Increase blood circulation: Stretching exercises can help increase the blood circulation in the muscles, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. This contributes to muscle health and can also speed up the recovery process after any type of physical activity. 

Remember that stretching exercises are not meant to be always intense. Stretching should be approached with care and focusing on posture with gentle movements to avoid any possible injury.