We talked on Wednesday about all the different positive benefits of Therapy Ball Rolling – both on the immediate area being rolled and throughout your whole body. But you don’t have to take my word for it.
Here’s a self neck massage video clip of Jill demonstrating an extremely down regulating series for neck pain, so if you’ve spent most of your week staring at a computer screen (like you’re doing right now!) take a few minutes, lie down, and roll! Once you’ve completed all the techniques to your satisfaction, give yourself a minute or two of quiet stillness without the balls and the block. Indulge in several deep breaths as you witness the multiple layers of both pain relief and nervous system quieting that you have given yourself through this self massage for neck pain.
Learn more about the Yoga Tune Up neck pain relief solutions
Thank you for these quick snippet blogs about the neck – each one has given me something new to consider and use. Having just tried the balls under my upper cervical spine laying on a block, I discovered I couldn’t agree that it felt “good”! This apparently has been a bit of a blind spot for me that I will need to address going forward.
I love that this is so easy to do! I also appreciated Jill’s suggestion to do this nightly before bed. Thanks!
Just what i needed. Thanks
Thanks for posting this helpful video Sarah! I used to do this on the mat so having the block underneath definitely helps. And now I’ll try to do this every day!
Honestly who could say no to this. definitely my top 3 YTU rolling technique.
One thing that I’ve learnt from my experience is to always do this SLOW, makes a great difference, well, at least for people like me who like to rush thru things. haha
So simple, so accessible and so good!
I love the traction part that decompresse and restore normal space int the neck.
Thank you!
This is hands down in my top 3 favorites. I’ll do it at night when I’m winding down for the evening and it works wonders for relieving any kind of tension in the suboccipitals due to a headache, head forward posture or when you’re just tired and need a break.
Hey Dani – I think a lot of people find this intense due to the angle of the neck. Try it with the balls on a bolster or a folded blanket for a lower perch and see if that makes it better, and try with softer worn in balls. Ultimately, all bodies are different, so if this doesn’t work for you, you can leave it out of your repertoire and use a different ball technique such as skin rolling in this area. Hope that’s helpful –
I’m probably the only one that doesn’t enjoy rolling this part of my neck. I’ve tried it on 2 separate occasions and both times my neck was extremely painful for almost 3 days after. The same thing happens to me every time I get my hair washed at the salon. I’m wondering if this technique just doesn’t work for me for whatever reason. Has anyone ever mentioned this to you before? I don’t tend to teach things that throw my body out of whack but it seems like so many people love this technique. I’d love your feedback
We did this YTU therapy ball technique in Level 1 training a couple days ago. I spent several hours at the computer today, reading and commenting on blogs, creating documents, etc and then read this blog. I got on the floor and took a YTU break while watching/listening to Jill. The neck relief was immediate and wonderful. I loved the reminder to practice this every night before bed because whether it’s a computer, Smart phone or a craft we can all use a break at the end of a busy day. Thanks for the reminder Sarah and Jill 🙂
I’ve been doing this, it feels so good… thank you.
This, by far, is my favorite YTU Roll Out Technique. I even have my husband doing it now for his neck pain and relief of headaches. Much better than having to put OTC pain relievers into our bodies. Very holistic.
This method for relieving neck pain is immediate. I hear from so many yoga students about their limited mobility of head rotation and I always recommend the YTU therapy balls as regular practice.
I love this. My neck feels so much better already. I will definitely be sharing this with other folks.
Thanks for the quick and easy way to relieve computer generated neck pain 🙂
Amazing how quickly that excercise helps the neck and head connection feel much better. This is so easy to share with all other humans that keep their neck in flexion for a good part of the day. Thank you for sharing!
Working on a computer several hours a day generally ends with me in a lot of neck pain. I’m so glad to discover this simple exercises to alleviate the discomfort. And I’m thrilled that it means getting to spend some time lying down in a more restorative pose. Thanks for sharing!
I keep a pair of balls at work and get regular visitors to my office so they can lay down and roll out their neck tension. I love this movement, so easy and simple, yet powerfully effective.
A great article Sarah!!
Using the techniques described here, I have given many a person not only better overhead positions in the strength and conditioning space, but also relief from tension headaches and stress from every day life. Many people carry stress here, and have no idea what normal is like until they experience the release from that cage. this is another winner for tech workers as well.
Sarah, thank you for the clip and suggestions. I wonder if putting the block under the head is necessary. It seems to jut the skull forward, putting it in a similar position as to when we are staring at a computer jutting our heads forward (or text head, etc). Maybe i’m by my “Onsies” on this idea. I too love the ball techniques and modify by putting a blanket under my head. The blanket allows my skull to sit lower to the floor but also keeps the balls in place at the base rather than rolling into the cervical part of my spine. Thank you for posting.
Thank you for suggesting a moment of quiet stillness. It allowed me to more fully appreciate the release of tension. I might have missed the surprising moment when my jaw succumbed to gravity went slack!
The Suboccipital muscles (4) are known for giving tension headaches. This would be great for someone who gets these headaches a lot or like you said who sits at a desk all day or has a head forward posture:) thank you
Hey Jason, I throw in neck rolling before savasana when I have extra time. Everyone loves it.
I have chronic neck pain from an old whiplash injury so I always bring my tune balls with me when I travel. I roll my against my seat whether I am in a car to on a plane.
Thanks for the quick tip, Sarah! I have chronic neck issues that come and go and have been using 2 tennis balls in a sock and a foam roller to do similar things. However, now that I’m in the YTU Training 1, I’m excited to have my own pair of YTU therapy balls! Now I just have to get consistent with the nightly neck care!
Every time I do a little massage on my neck by myself. It’s OK but my arms get tired and that makes me feel not good enough. But, this is just laying down and placing the balls on your neck. There is no effort to get neck massage! How wonderful it is!
I changed careers a long time ago, but I used to be slumped at a desk all day for 15 years or so. I pretty much do these rolling techniques on my neck every night. But the great thing I’ve also learned through Yoga Tune Up, is how interconnected the body is. Not only do I need to roll my neck, but I have to work on my hips and low back as well to get to my neck! Yoga Tune Up is the best!
This is really my favorite as far as releasing the neck tension.. great techniques thanks
This work is amazing, releasing neck tension works magic to the upper back muscles such as trapezius, rhomboids but even arms and shoulders. The neck for me has been my tension bank. Apparently my body thinks the strength to carrying heavy stuff or doing a yoga pose comes from the muscles of my neck instead of using my abs and other related muscles. This exercise has been so good to my neck and also, to my overthinking brain. It totally downregulates the sympathetic system so its very effective for relaxing.
This neck therapy really makes a difference, I never thoughts I had so much stress in the neck until I tried the tune up balls therapy.
wow it works.. thanks
I love the reminder of allowing the work you have done to settle. Sitting or lying with stillness is important.
I love this gentle series. Its such a great reminder of how much control we actually do have in bringing ourselves more calm, less pain and more ability to be with our present situation. I am astounded how constantly I need to relearn this.
I didn’t realize I had so much tension in my neck until I did this and became much more relaxed- but now I feel it in my trapezius. Time for more Yoga Tune Up!
I often get neck pain from sleeping on my side. Forwarding folding and shaking my head yes and no usually helps. Now, adding these these 3 techniques hurt at first…but now it’s a nice release.
I just woke up this morning with a stiff neck, and decided to roll on my Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Balls, and I only spent a few minutes on them, and I feel so much better!! There was a bit of guiltiness when you wrote if you’ve been staring at a computer screen. Yes! I have! Last night, I fell asleep in bed, doing my homework on my computer, and this morning, I’m continuing to do my homework in bed on my computer. And I love the points that you made when you said after you roll, “…give yourself a minute or two of quiet stillness without the balls and the block. Indulge in several deep breaths” Wow! I totally forgot about that. Usually I just roll and go, but I need to add that to my therapy ball regimen. Roll, Rest, and indulge in Breaths. Love it! =)
Love this ball sequence. I use it with my private client who struggles with kyphosis and we’ve seen almost 15 degrees of improvement. Thank you so much for this great sequence.
This neck rolling is what hooks people on trying my YTU classes all the time. Throw it in at the end of a regular yoga class for part of savasana and mention it’s what we do in Yoga Tune Up, and people are all over it. It’s also one of those ball moves you can easily do on yourself while you teach, which i LOVE!
I love doign a check in before, then between sides, and once again after. The sensations and differences is what motivates me to keep rolling! The difference in mobility, freedom in range of movement, and discomfort or pain is so palpable, it has me wanting more. And given how little time and effort it takes to achieve all that with the balls, it’s a wonder to me why more people don’t do this. Everyone needs to get on the balls!
I have to say that whenever I get a tension headache ( usually because of neck strain), the simple yet extremly effective therapy ball rolling technique of nestling the therapy balls into the Occiput does wonders!! It’s amazing how just a few minutes of this deep massage melts all the tension away in my neck, and voila my headache is relieved !!!
After 15 years of corporate servitude sitting behind a computer this is a great technique for relief. Now that I have transitioned my life to the yogic journey I have a constant reminder when I sit in front of the computer about how lucky I am to have tools at my disposal for relief and freedom.