Your Neck's Surprising Connection to Your Health

Today we are going to be talking about having a healthy neck.

Digestive issues, and pelvic floor issues are common complaints among women, and this post about diastasis recti back pain talks about another issue that women should be in the know about.

But did you know they could all be connected to -- your neck?  Whether or not you have neck pain, your neck's health influences your whole body.  You might be surprised just how much it does.

Having a healthy neck is part of having overall good health.

Have you ever noticed that your body is like a set of dominoes?

For example, when you start working on improving one area, your awareness of other areas increases.

Or when one area starts to hurt, other areas start to hurt.

Many people, especially moms, will begin with a focus on their bellies when they start a fitness program, but another "domino" will quickly scream, indicating its need to fall into place.

Everything in your body is related - not just related, but physically connected by one BIG section of fascia - but your neck and abdominal areas really REALLY are compadres in the fight for your posture and overall health.

How does this work?

Let's talk about it.

Questions to Ask About Neck Health

If you have any of the following issues, then likely you don't have a healthy neck.

• Do you have "Gamer's Neck" -- your head sticks way out in front?
• Do you catch yourself jutting your chin forward to see screens or while driving?
• When you rest your chin on one hand, do you get an ache in your upper back or neck?
• Is it hard for you to center your ears over your shoulders? Got "Four Chins" anyone?
• When you bow your head, do you feel a massive stretch down the back of your neck and into your spine?

Your Neck Is Connected to.......

Your Trunk (aka your core)

The position of your trunk forces your head to hold itself up in various positions, making your neck muscles work at those angles.

And it goes the other way, too.

Crane your neck, and watch the rest of your body adjust--moreso if your core is weak.

Core Health is CRUCIAL and having a healthy neck is crucial to core health.

If your core (basically your abdominal area) isn't healthy, then many other things can quickly get out of whack.

An unhealthy core can lead to:

- back problems
- poor digestion
- pelvic floor issues (cysotocele, rectocele, incontinence)
- poor sense of balance
- pelvic pain
- hip pain
- intimacy problems

Sounds like we'd better pay attention to this, huh?

Want a Healthy Core?

 You need a healthy neck.

Want a Healthy Neck?

You need a healthy core.

Here's how to get both - a Healthy Core AND a Healthy Neck

-Note: When you slouch, your belly bulges with the pressure of squashed organs pushing forward at the only give-point they have AND your head easily shifts forward, reducing your natural neck curve.

However, when you sit up tall {notice, I did not say straight!} with a natural curve in your lower back and upper back, and your head floating like a balloon centered between your shoulders, you don't thrust your head forward as much. As soon as your head moves forward, the rest of your body will follow. As soon as you sit tall, your head follows.

Having a long, lean and lifted core will thus help your neck pain... at first, mostly in the sense that it makes you more aware of it and ready to fix it! If you've been sitting slouchy with no neck curve for a long time, and you suddenly start working on your alignment, your muscles will tell you that you're crazy for the first few weeks, because they've grown accustomed to the position you've had them in for so long.

But rest assured, after they're done "pitching a fit" about being called back to their job right {they're a bit like unreasonable toddlers that way} they will be happier in the long run when you align them where they truly belong. Fewer headaches, anyone?

Conversely, if you position your work station or "nursing throne" so that you don't have to thrust your head forward, your trunk will be longer, look leaner (yippee!!), and your pelvic floor and core can lift easier. Knowing that the neck and position of the head {and many other alignment factors as well} play a vital role in core healing and the pursuit of a flatter tummy, I put together a whole "Neck Routine" for members of Fit2B because retraining muscles that are tight and stuck in the wrong position takes practice.

So, in the interest of having a healthy neck (and a healthy body as a result), try these 5 stretches right now:

5 Stretches for a Healthy Neck (& Healthy Body)

The following stretches are great

#1 Hands Behind Back

- Put one hand behind your back and look up and down and all around.
- Do the same thing with the other hand.
- Now try it with both hands. Don't try to set a world record in stretching. Go for the "ooooh" not the "ow!" It feels lovely, doesn't it?

#2 Chin Down | Head Back

- Straight from my current chiropractor today who says, “Chin down, head back! It feels weird because you’re so used to the opposite: chin up, head forward.”

Boy, is he right! How do you feel when you drop your chin and move your head back so your ears are fully between your shoulders? I feel like I have four chins!

#3 Upper Body Lean

- Put your RIGHT hand on top of your head, palm down.
- Slowly lean your upper body to the LEFT and then slightly backward. Stop before there is discomfort.
- Stay in the “gentle stretch” zone.

This is a marvelous move for unlocking tension in the armpit and also strengthening the back of the neck.

#4 Ear to Shoulder

- Drop your left ear toward your left shoulder.
- Reach your left arm up and then let the palm of your hand rest GENTLY on the right side of your head (let your fingers touch your ear) so the weight of your arm slightly deepens the stretch.
- Repeat for the other side.
- Do NOT pull on your head. Ever. Just let everything stretch out gently.
- Visualize your open shoulder opening more and dropping to the floor.

#5 Chicken Neckin'

- Do some “Chicken Neckin” whenever you're in the bathroom. Whether you’re brushing your teeth or sitting on the toilet, shift your head forward and back and side to side.
- Don’t force it. Just move it slowly in all directions.

Notes on Mobility

I have chickens, and their neck mobility is amazing. Of course, they use their necks all the time, but we don't.

We tend to get stuck in certain positions for hours while at the computer, watching shows, feeding our babies, etc.

Motion is the goal for every area. Our bodies thrive on movement. When we move, our circulation improves, our joints get lubricated, pressure is released, and our outlook on life shifts toward the positive thanks to the hormones released.

If gentle movement seems to make a sore muscle hurt more, it's time for some therapeutic massage, myofascial release, and a trip to the chiropractor. Usually, though, moving our bodies in loving ways every day will save us the soreness in the first place ;).

(From Adrienne. Isn't Beth a smart cookie? She has got sooo much good information to share, as well as a fantabulous website full of core-friendly exercises. I highly recommending checking out her site and note that if you do sign up, the links to her site are affiliate links.

You can check out all of the core-healthy exercise info and programs over at Fit2B.com.

By the way, since I’m an affiliate of Fit2B, if you sign up and use SAVINGS CODE wholenewmom (all one word), I’ll make a commission, and you will get 30% savings off a 1-year membership :).)

What do you think?
Did you know that your neck was so closely connected to your core and your back?

Bethany is a work-at-home mama to two wild rugrats in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband just moved to a 7-acre farm where she's learning to milk 1 stubborn goat and get eggs from 10 hens. She runs Fit2B Studio from her laptop between homeschooling, picking berries, wiping noses, hodge-podging meals together, race-walking with two separate teams, and teaching at her local fitness center. Her hobbies include fitness {duh!} and crocheting rag rugs out of recycled t-shirts she cuts into yarn. Come see her passion for Diastasis Awareness in action over at fit2b.com today!