Chin Nod Exercise
Retrain the deep neck muscles with the "chin nod" exercise
When the deep cervical flexor muscles deep inside your neck become weak, extra stress is placed on the neck and pain develops.
Spending long hours with your head pushed forward while working at a desk or using a smartphone causes these deep muscles to stop working properly.
The chin nod exercise (cranio-cervical flexion) can retrain and strengthen these muscles.
Hours of computer or smartphone use keeps the head pushed forward
The deep cervical flexors lose their ability to control the neck properly
The surface muscles work overtime to compensate, causing pain and tension
Because the deep muscles are weak, tucking the chin puts strain on the neck
The chin nod exercise retrains the deep neck muscles. With daily practice, improvement in neck pain and daily comfort can be expected. If results are limited, checking your form or combining with other exercises may help.
An accurate diagnosis is important for neck pain.
Neck pain can come from many sources beyond muscles, including cervical disc herniation and cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. "Straight neck" is not a formal diagnosis but a common term for a cervical curve that has flattened, and many people with a flattened curve have no symptoms at all. Our clinic assesses with X-ray and ultrasound; if an MRI is needed we arrange it at a partner facility, so that we can identify the cause and recommend the right treatment.