Neck Pain and Slouching? Five Gentle Exercises to Try

Modern routines can make it easy to stay hunched over a desk or screen. Gentle movement may help ease stiffness, though it is not a cure for every cause of neck pain. Start with a chin tuck: look straight ahead and gently draw your chin backwards, keeping your head level rather than tilting it down.

For a neck turn, slowly rotate your head to look towards one shoulder, then return to the centre and repeat on the other side. Stay within a comfortable range and avoid forcing the movement.

A gentle side tilt offers another way to move a stiff neck. Keep your shoulders relaxed and ease one ear towards the shoulder on that side, then return upright and switch sides. Do not pull your head down with your hand.

Shoulder rolls can help break up long periods of sitting. Slowly lift your shoulders, roll them backwards and let them settle, keeping the movement relaxed rather than exaggerated.

Finally, try a shoulder-blade squeeze: sit or stand comfortably and gently draw your shoulder blades together without lifting your shoulders or arching your back. Combine these movements with regular changes of position. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and seek medical advice for persistent symptoms, numbness, weakness or pain following an injury.