7 yoga routines to relieve neck and shoulder pain

These yoga routines for neck and shoulder pain have worked wonders for us and can help you release tension as well!

A few weeks ago, we hurt our neck (cue the sad music). We were not doing anything too wild, just turned around to talk to someone too fast (and too furious, we guess). We were in pain for a few days, cried our eyes out and hated the world. The one thing we did, that we're actually proud of, was going on the internet and finding some helpful yoga routines to relieve neck and shoulder pain.

Like that, just in a few days – our neck was fine again. You say a few days of pain are too long? Well, usually it lasts longer for us – one or two days with a pinched nerve we'd say, is bearable at this point. So, below are some of the neck and shoulder yoga routines we found on the internet – the ones that we loved. Like we're so grateful that the instructors made them.

Some of these stretches we did regularly before, some are newer to us. So, if you’re spending too much time in front of your computer or hunched over your phone in order to protect it from evil forces, similarly to the way a squirrel would hunch over a nut – it’s time to release that tension and start looking up again without screaming from pain. Let’s remember that we are supposed to look forward, not down. These yoga flows are a great start!

Once you do some of them, you’ll definitely feel less pain and freedom in your neck and shoulders.

Neck And Shoulder Pain Causes

So, in our case, the question is: Where does this neck and shoulder pain come from? We did nothing wrong. We're a good, younger person who exercises regularly and doesn’t eat that much crap. “Why us? Waaaaaaaaaahhhhh” she whined in pain.

Turns out you can hurt your neck and your shoulders, even in your 20-ies, 30-ies and even 10-eens when you do these things:

• have a bad posture
• sit for an extended period of time in front of the computer or hunched over the phone
• grind your teeth in your sleep
• sleep on a pillow that is too high or too low
• or doing what we did: moving your head too fast and too furious while you’re working out, because you’re excited and you need to be punished for that excitement.

It’s a multiple choice, where you can check more than one answer.

How To Relieve Neck And Shoulder Pain

What we understood from watching countless videos and reading the occasional article here and there, is that, in many cases – neck, shoulder and back pain come from overextension or elongation of the muscles in the back.

While these are getting stretched all day long, the muscles in the front of the body are getting shorter and shorter until they look like the dwarfs that changed Snow White’s life. So naturally, they’re getting short and bitter.

But because they’re now evil these short front muscles pretend they’re not the ones that need to be stretched. “Stretch out the back muscles, those suckers hurt.” And then they point and laugh at you while you’re in pain.

Well actually, no. We now know, when your neck, shoulders or back hurt, you’ll need to stretch the muscles in the front of the body and to basically strengthen the entire thing including your abs. Yes, abs aren’t just for rappers and models, we all need them.

7 Yoga Routines To Relieve Neck & Shoulder Pain

So, for this collection, we chose longer and shorter yoga routines to relieve neck and shoulder pain – depending on how much time we had and how much time you have – make a choice!

In our experience, the longer practices help us the most. But if you don’t have time, a fast routine will still relieve some of the neck pain.

Remember: do the exercises slowly, mindfully and don’t overstretch.

Disclaimer: Again, since the source of neck pain can be different for everyone, consult your doctor before doing any exercise.

3-Minute Yoga for Upper Back Tension

3-minute Yoga for Upper Back Tension by SarahBethYoga

This video is just 3 minutes long, but it’s great if you have stiff shoulders and it stretches the upper back as well.

5-minute Yoga For Neck & Shoulder Pain

Yoga For Neck Pain – Beginners 5 Minute Neck & Shoulder Pain Relief Yoga by Yoga TX

Okay, so this one is our new favorite because it’s just 5 minutes, but it actually helps to stretch the neck and shoulders. We feel like new again quickly. We'd do it whenever we find time – in the evening or in the morning, sometimes even at work. Again, go slow and be mindful.

8-Minute Yoga for Neck & Shoulder Tension

Yoga for Neck & Shoulder Tension by SarahBethYoga

We loved this 8-minute long neck and shoulder stretch, as it’s fast does the job! Our favorite part is the monster shoulder rolls that we do toward the end.

12-minute Yoga For Upper Back Pain

Yoga For Upper Back Pain by Yoga With Adriene

Another video that is mainly for the shoulders and upper back. This one was also relaxing and just 12 min.

14-minute Yoga for Neck, Shoulders and Upper Back

Yoga for neck, shoulders and upper back by yoginimelbourne

Our neck and shoulders felt notable (we mean, compared to all the pain we had) after this routine. It warms up the shoulders and upper back and stretches the neck and whole upper body.

15 Minute Neck & Shoulder Pain Yoga Class

Yoga For Beginners – 15 Minute Neck & Shoulder Pain Yoga Class by Yoga TX

This is one of our go-to neck and shoulder release yoga routines. Whenever we have pain and think we don’t have 20 min to do the next video (which is our favorite) we do this 15 minute routine. It stretches out your chest, which helps a lot with neck and back pain. You perform also some neck rolls, slowly to relieve the tension there.

20-Minute Beginners Yoga For Neck, Back, & Shoulder Pain

Yoga For Neck and Shoulder Pain – 20 Minute Beginners Yoga For Neck, Back, & Shoulder Pain by Yoga TX

Okay, so this is our absolute favorite yoga routine for neck and shoulder pain. It is a bit longer – 20 minutes, but it’s definitely worth it. We absolutely love it – our whole back and our neck feel notable afterward. Our favorite move is the one before the last one. It was the first time we had seen this posture, so we were impressed with how good it felt. If you have 20 min, try this for your neck and shoulders.

Stretches for People Who Sit at Desks

Stretches for People Who Sit at Desks by eFit30

Finally, if you know your stiff neck and shoulders come from sitting at a desk, we highly recommend giving yourself 20 minutes to do the work and follow this video. It’s not necessarily yoga, but it made us feel like we're actually an alive person and not just a statue that can’t move if a tiger’s chasing her. Your posture will improve, your mood will improve, you’ll get a nice little confidence boost and you’re not just gonna stretch the neck and shoulders – you’ll stretch the hips, all the parts of your body you don’t even notice are affected by those hours and hours of sitting in the same place.