Pain in the neck. 😭
Are you aware that the side of the neck has muscles that run along with it? Are they tight and stiff? 🤔
Many people complain about neck pain or stiff neck and shoulders. When you feel tense and stiff (or pain) around this area you are referring to these muscles called the Levator Scapulae.
The pain in the neck is often caused by sitting for a long period of time with poor posture (back hunched, shoulders slumped, head dropped); our modern society of being constantly glued to our phones and computers also leads to constant irritation in that area. 😮
The function of the 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗲 is to lift the scapula.
So when they are stiff and tight, it restricts shoulder movements. And since these “neck” muscles also connect to your head, it restricts movements of your head.
These muscles NEED to be released and Shoulderstand plays magic as a Levator Scapulae (or let’s just call it NECK MUSCLE) release.
However, Shoulderstand can be a challenging pose for many people to perform with a straight spine and enough elevation of the upper back due to stiff upper back. 😞
𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗸 is a great way to release tension in this area and benefit from the stress-relieving effect in a straight line.
And when these muscles get a good release, they can do their job to “𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢”; and as a result, our upper back also can open more.
My neck and shoulders feel freer since I have been doing aerial yoga again. 🤗
It also helps students who cannot perform a Shoulderstand on the mat due to cervical spine issues to practice this pose safely.
P.S. Every time I woke up with a strained neck, 10 minutes of shoulder stand on the hammock would fix the problem.
Save my trip to painful acupuncture or doctor. 😊 (Not making medical claims ok?)
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