IF YOU DO ONE THING TODAY...

THE CHICKEN NECK SLIDE

WANT to know the best way to beat vulture neck? Try the chicken slide!

Vulture neck – which is also known as text neck or, in more proper terms, forward neck posture – is a common side effect of long hours spent sitting in front of computers and looking down at tablets and smartphones.

The unnatural position puts stress and strain on the muscles and joints in the neck.

This exercise may momentarily make you look like another bird variety (and a rather funny one at that), but it will ease symptoms in no time, so don’t think about looking a bit silly and have a go. Chicken slides help to return the cervical spine – the part that’s in the neck – to a neutral position, and stretch the muscles through the back of the neck. Imagine a straight line running from the back of your neck, through your jaw and out of your chin. This is your ‘track’ on which to slide your head back and forth.

Maintain an upright posture through the rest of your spine, and without moving your shoulders, ‘slide’ your head forward and hold for a few seconds.

Then slide your head back to starting position (so you go back and forth like a chicken’s head) and hold for another few seconds. Do ten slides, rest for a minute, and repeat twice. nickcowanosteopath.co.uk