Do you have a stiff or aching neck, rounded shoulders, a hunchback? Are you a ‘desk jockey’, i.e. work at a desk a lot? Do you drive a lot or slouch in the couch?

The exercises I am going to show you may help you on the way to recovery.

I’ve been working in the field of health and fitness for over 20 years. Forward Head Posture – some call it Tech neck, Turtle neck – is very, very common, unfortunately even already in the younger population.

Most of us plead guilty to stare down on our laptops, mobile phones or kindles. Are you working on a computer most of the day? You may start sitting straight in front of the computer at the start of the day. But the more you get involved in the work the more you lean forward and forget about your posture. Do this for long enough, i.e. months or years and your neck and posture will be affected somehow.

Why should I do something about my Forward Head Posture?

Well, not only does it NOT look great but you may find that

• Your shoulders are rounded forward or they feel tight, movement may be restricted
• Your neck feels stiff or achy. Can you turn and tilt it in all 6 directions without feeling any pulling or discomfort? Probably not!
• You are suffering from the occasional headache
• Your breath is shallow
• You find it hard to concentrate – less oxygen getting to the brain because of your posture
• And more

Ok, I did say the exercises last only 2 minutes but this is NOT a quick fix! You’ll have to stick with them for a little while to make a lasting shift.

It would also be of great help if you could adjust your habits a bit. Note how much time you spend on a computer or on Social Media. Make a conscious effort to cut back a bit or change the set-up.

Take regular short breaks. When you come back to the desk, adjust your posture before you get back to the task at hand.

Feel free to do those exercises in your work breaks. If you do them little and often, you will feel different and start seeing some effects within a few days already.

Let’s get to it:

These exercises are great to stretch and strengthen certain areas in your mid/upper back. And they work wonders to counteract the fact that you are stuck at the desk most of the day. Hold each of those positions for 30 seconds, so it only is a total of 2 minutes away from your desk.

1. Hold your arms above your head in a Y-shape. Your thumbs are pointing backwards, arms are straight, the core muscles switched on. Imagine your head is held up by a string that is attached to the ceiling or sky. Shoulder blades are pulling back. Keep breathing!!! 
2. Next, pull your elbows down to create a W-shape., Thumbs pointing back, core switched on, shoulder blades are ‘kissing’ again.
3. Then make a T-shape by stretching the arms out. The palms are up, thumbs pointing up or back, shoulder blades pulling back again.
4. And lastly pull your elbows in close to your body to make an L-shape.Your thumbs are pointing back. The head is still pulled up by the thread on the ceiling and shoulder blades ‘kissing’. 

The order of the exercises doesn’t matter. Just do all those positions on a regular basis.

And enjoy seeing your posture improve little by little.

There are more exercises you could try but this makes a good start! Have fun!