Here’s 1 Simple Way To Help Prevent Neck And Back Pain

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For a lot of us, that daily office grind is just a part of life—but unfortunately, slouching in front of a computer all day has some not-so-great effects on our posture. Couple that with hunching over your phone all the time to scroll through Insta or send a few texts, and we’ve got a neck-and-back nightmare on our hands—or, should we say, on our shoulders. 

By staring down at our phones and craning our necks toward computer screens, “the upper back and neck muscles become strained and stiff and can even become painful,” explains NYC-based trainer Diana Mitrea, co-founder of Stronger With Time. Keeping your core and back muscles strong and limber is a simple remedy, and the one move below will help you feel better, and sit a little straighter.

The sequence incorporates three moves (a row, a rotator raise, and a superman), and you’ll need an exercise bench to do it. While many core and back-strengthening exercises can have positive effects on your posture and help ward off pain, “this is one of the most effective exercises to do to strengthen the muscles of the upper back and anything connected to the scapula (the shoulder blades),” she adds. “By strengthening these muscles, your body will more naturally pull the shoulders back and down, giving you much better posture.”

Work this move into your regular gym routine to help you stand tall and pain-free:

Do three sets of 10 reps of this move two times per week.

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Whitney Thielman

  • Lie down on the bench with your chest in the center, your neck and face off the front of the bench. Your feet should be on the floor, or for more of a challenge, off the bench behind you. 
  • Hold your arms at a 90-degree angle below the bench, with your forearms under the bench seat and with your palms facing your feet.
  • Bring your elbows up to shoulder level and squeeze your shoulder blades together as tight as you can.
  • Rotate the forearms upwards to make a goal post with your arms, bringing your palms to face the ground.
  • Reach your arms above your head, and then bring them back to the goal post position, once again by squeezing the muscles of the upper back.
  • Return to the starting position. That’s one rep—do three sets of 10 reps.

Make sure you’re squeezing your shoulder blades together during this move, and keep your shoulders down and away from your ears, advises Mitrea. You should start doing this move without weights, but feel free to work your way up to two- to three-pound dumbbells (at most) for an added challenge as you get comfortable. So give this move a try—your back and neck will thank you.

You may also like: 12 Ultra-Effective Arm Workout Moves You Can Do At Home

The post Here’s 1 Simple Way To Help Prevent Neck And Back Pain appeared first on SELF.



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Jasmine Bryant

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