[Shoulder Tune Up Part 2]
If you sit at a computer regularly, the muscles of the upper back and neck can get very tight holding the weight of your neck and head all day. For every inch your head comes forward from your shoulders, the muscles that root your neck into the rest of your body have to handle an additional 10 pounds of work. Add an 8-hour day of stress and you may find yourself with a very grouchy upper back.
For self neck and shoulder massage, YTU Therapy Balls are the perfect size to melt into the grooves alongside your spine where these postural muscles live, but any size of Roll Model Therapy Ball will do.
Check out the video below where Jill Miller demonstrates how to use a pair of YTU Therapy Balls at the wall, which is ideal if you are in a place where you can’t roll on the ground (like the office or an airport) and want to tame your tension on demand.
Spending long hours at a computer really strains my neck, and I’ve been doing these Yoga Tune Up Ball techniques all week. It’s amazing to have such an effective, on-demand solution for relief, even right at my desk. Thank you for sharing these accessible tips for neck pain!
Great tips, thanks for sharing with us!!!!
This move has really improved my quality of life and inspired me to want to share YTU with others. The Trapezius Tension Tamer really changed my thoughts about self massage and comfort in daily life.
Love this variation! I’ve busted my balls out against many an airport wall undoing hours of air travel between flights.
I started getting way too much manual therapy on my neck and my condition got worse. Since i combined gentle neck strengthening exercises combined with the Yoga Tune up therapy balls used AROUND and not necessarily on the problem area my neck tensions almost vanished in a matter of days.
Such a quick, easy and effective way to relief pain and tension when needed! Thank you!!
After 10 hours in a seated posture either in a car or at a desk at a computer, I basically need some kind of shoulder self-care ALWAYS. Thanks, YTU, for giving me such a fantastic tool to take care of myself!
Great article and video. I’m an office guy and huge commuter so these exercises will definitely assist my tight neck and shoulders. I have had several pinch nerves on my left side of the body and this exercise hopefully is a proactive method.
Just what I needed tonight after sitting at the computer. Thanks!!
Nice “quick tip” for rolling out the trapezius. Thank you.
This move is great to do at the end of the day, as I spend a lot of time in the car driving. I truly love this area as it is one of the areas that I hold all my stress. My traps always need a little TLC.
I just used this and the difference is great. While I’m not sitting at a desk all day, I can still relate very much so. I carry a lot of tension here. Part 1 was very helpful.
while I don’t sit at a desk, my head forward posture is the result of staring down at a client on a massage table. I love this quick fix!
After a few hours of sitting in front of the computer. This is the perfect remedy for my computer gazing neck.
“…an additional 10 pounds of work. Add an 8-hour day of stress…”those world are direct and clear! the neck pain is so commun in our modern world. But with the video and this articule, we are in a good path to find the way to be in good shape again. Merci pour cette démonstration du massage du cou arrière avec les balles…
This is a great point to draw attention to, especially with how many of us are desk workers. Forward head posture is so prevalent in today’s society and it is absolutely something that can be addressed. This is a great blog post outlining how to address the problem, but more importantly, how the problem is caused!
Between years at a desk job and suffering the repercussions of an old car accident, my neck literally had no curve to it. Now, slowly through neuromuscular chiropractic work and finding yoga tune up exercises like this one, I am getting my neck back to how it should be. Thank you for the great video!
I struggle on a daily basis with neck pain. I have found this video and technique to be extremely helpful with relieving tensions and pain in my neck. The wall adds a little more of controlled pressure and it helps to really get deep down into the tighter parts of my neck.
Because I wear a book bag through out the day, my neck is always tight. Taking 5 mins at the end of a day would help me relieve this stress.
thanks for the video and information. lately i have so much tension in my neck and shoulders from this time of year in general that i really needed that.
Love the the science you include in your blogs (in this case regarding the weight of the head) to support why rolling is so beneficial. I roll out my shoulders and neck almost everyday and I’m cranky, physically and mentally, on the daysI miss. Massaging our shoulders and neck should become routine like brushing our teeth.
Thanks for video. I had some tension on my neck muscles. But after use the therapy ball, feel great release.
I thought this was great! I did similar exercises with the balls for my 2 clients who were dental hygienists for many years and have chronic neck pain and immobility. I did the exercise on the ground, but will try this next time I see them! Anyone can benefit from this as we all use the computer, Iphone and reach our neck forward too much in daily life.
Very succinct explanation of yet another super-effective ball-rolling technique to alleviate chronic stress and hypertonicity. Thanks!
I do this method of ball therapy as often as I feel the tension in my neck . Thanks for the video.
Such a great quick fix after a day of studying! Are we rolling out the middle trapezius muscle fibers, levator scapulae and rhomboids? This felt so good especially when I gave myself a hug and rolled them out again! #YTUlevel1trainingstudying
Le retour aux sensations est primordial comme illustré dans le vidéo.
Excellent
This is great! I have been directing folks in my classes to check out YTU on youtube to
learn to practice self care.
Enjoyed doing part 1 against the wall, and now 2 also, anytime anyplace! I will carry my balls with me everywhere now. Thanks!
This is the area of most tension for me! I am going to try this routine along with “block head” to strengthen my neck. Thank you!
I could not believe how much tension I found in the back of my neck following along with this video. I didn’t know it was there, but I feel so much better now without it. Thanks!
I would love to see your blog H)
Fun fact about how much extra pull comes with a head-forward posture of even one inch. Thanks for the clear explanations and video demonstrations, too.
You’re a great friend Shari. Thanks for sharing the #RubberDrugs #TheRollModel 🙂
I spoke with a friend, student and colleague last night. She said her neck has been bothering her, she went to a water park with her son and it flared up an old injury. I will see her today and share with my balls what I learned in this video and the ones it took me to.
Jill you are absolutely amazing, and always just what I need! Thank you, Kelly as well.
As an eyesight improvement teacher, i see so many people leaning forward towards their computer with the head poking even more forward, because they have become slightly myopic over time or experience blur by the end of the day due to eyestrain. This is such as simple exercise, i will recommend this to my vision clients.
My neck is always in need of a little TLC. I’m going to start incorporating this into my quick 5 min self care sessions.