I was talking about backaches and sore necks with my friend, Joan, at the post office the other day, and it suddenly dawned on me that I didn't get any requests for details last month when I wrote about the goofy exercise that cured my neck and shoulder aches. Since I've been griping about a sore neck for at least a couple years, it's remarkable to have found an exercise cure -- a non-pharmaceutical cure -- that provided full relief within a single month.
You got a sore neck? Here's more:
Last month I wrote about visiting a chiropractor to address my aching neck. (See Dr. Laurence Caldron, 831-465-9344, for Santa Cruz County residents or Dr. Richard Tyler, 916-624-5539, for Sacramento area residents who need this kind of doctoring). I've had an aching neck for close to 20 years, and it's only gotten worse the past few as I began spending most of each day in front of the computer.
Turns out the lower traps and the rhomboid muscles below the traps were weak, so all the effort of holding up my head went to the neck, which isn't strong enough to hold the head for extended periods if the upper back isn't helping. In fact, when weakened, my neck locked up completely, causing headaches, even a few migraines before which I distinctly remember noticing specific neck stiffness.
Laurence did aggressive massage on the inferior traps (the lower part) and the rhomboids, hooked me up to a Stim machine for a couple sessions and gave me specific, targeted, light-weight, goofy-looking exercises that I seriously focused on for six weeks… and that completely cleared up this 20-year problem. Embarrassing, really, to have not known this before.
He also advised me -- commanded, really -- to lay off chest work for the full six weeks. Real hard, let me tell you. I did sneak in some dips and pullovers, which kept me happy enough, particularly since the targeted upper back work was providing neck relief almost immediately.
One of the exercises, the one that was the most effective, was completely new to me, while the other three were modifications of common movements. His suggestion for my
rehab was four exercises, six sets of eight reps, the lower reps designed to stop me before my form went south most likely.
The new exercise, for which I have no name, is the silly one, done as follows:
Select a pair of ultra light weight dumbbells (I use the 5s). Lay face down on a flat bench with your feet off the end; raise your feet slightly as you raise your arms in front of you, holding the dumbbells palms down. Pull the dumbbells back toward your body, slowly and with targeted concentration, using your middle upper back to muscle the weight. It takes focused attention to get this right; otherwise you'll end up flailing the dumbbells back using your loose arms, achieving nothing therapeutic.
To and fro, each rep a single, deliberate action as you contract the muscles in the middle of your back, just below your neck. It's a hard spot to isolate, and it will take some time before you gain confidence in the movement.
As silly as I felt there on that bench doing this dumbbell swimming thing in the middle of a busy gym, I have to tell you, I nearly cried from the burning pain; I could barely finish the planned eight reps, five sets still to go. When this area's weak, it's useless, and doing the assigned sets left me breathless and near tears.
But guess what? My neck pain began to ease from the first day. No kidding.
The other exercises were useful, but it was this one, this… lying dumbbell breast stroke… that not only strengthened the area, it also taught me how to target these muscles in my other back work.
For instance, wide-grip pulldowns that I've always done to the front are now down to the back, sitting backwards, facing away from the cable unit, with a bit of backward lean so I can hit the muscles more precisely. The reps are lighter, slower, and more effective for
rehab.
The exercises also taught me better form for bentover barbell rows, slower, more purposeful and hitting exactly where intended. Rear delt bentover dumbbell raises are more precise, less aggressive, which of course is not always a good goal, but is certainly a good idea during
rehab and for better identifying specific muscles.
If you've got a long-term neck and shoulder ache, it's worth a little embarrassment and a learning curve to figure out how to strengthen the muscles below the neck. Everything gets easier when your neck doesn't hurt.
