Stretches to Release Neck and Shoulder Tension and Help Avoid Vocal Cord Attacks - Nemours

Описание: Nemours Speech Therapists Demonstrate Stretches to Release Tension in the Neck and Shoulder Muscles to Help Avoid Vocal Cord Attacks

• It is important to properly stretch your neck and shoulder muscles because they connect to your vocal folds. When you stretch, you will reduce your risk for a vocal fold attack.
• You will do 10 repetitions of each stretch or hold each for 10 seconds.
• Let’s begin with backward shoulder rolls, followed by forward shoulder rolls.
Do 10 of each.
o We spend much of our day with rounded shoulders, so these stretches are especially important.
• Next, we will complete 10 shoulder shrugs. Gently shrug your shoulders up and down.
o These stretches should never cause pain. If you are experiencing discomfort, decrease your range of motion during the stretch. By range of motion, I mean, don’t move your shoulders up so high.
o When you practice these stretches daily, your flexibility should improve.
• From there we will bend our right ear toward our right shoulder and hold for 10 seconds. Then we will switch to the left side and hold for 10 seconds.
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• Then we will move on to head turns. Keep your head straight and then look to the right and hold for a few seconds and then look to the left. Repeat 10 times.
• Next, we will complete head rolls. Drop your chin towards your chest and slowly turn your head to the left and then to the right. Repeat 10 times.
• From there we will stretch our arms. Place your left arm across your chest and hook it with your right hand. Hold for 10 seconds. Then switch, right arm across your chest and hook it with your left hand. Hold for 10 seconds.
• Then we will finish with hands clasped behind the back. Hold for 10 seconds.
o This helps open the chest and improve breathing.
• Doing this series of stretches will take about 2 minutes to complete.
Try to do them at least twice daily and especially right before you exercise.

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