Sponsored Content: This video contains paid product placement. Thank you to KANUDA for sponsoring this video and providing Doctor Jo with a free Spine Nap to use.
Cervical traction and thoracic traction can provide many benefits, but they can be hard to do at home. The KANUDA Spine Nap is a unique tool that can help provide both cervical and thoracic traction at home. There are some precautions and contraindications to traction, so make sure you check with your doctor or physical therapist before trying it.
Cervical Traction is a popular treatment for general neck pain and specific diagnoses like: a pinched nerve known as radiculopathy, disc issues, arthritis, stenosis, and a few others. Basically, traction gently stretches your neck to help relieve pain in the disc and joints in your cervical spine (neck). Thoracic traction is not seen as often, but it can be very beneficial for the same issues in the mid to upper back area. It can also be used to help relieve pressure points in the rhomboid muscles which are sometimes hard to get to yourself.
In this video, I’m using the Kanuda Spine Nap, which helps stretch and relieve pressure in the thoracic and cervical spine through gravity. It’s designed by physical therapists, and helps simulate manual traction that targets pressure points to help relieve tension and knots as well. It’s also very portable, so it’s great for taking it with you when you need it.
Doctor Jo shows some simple stretches for neck pain. Remember to be very careful with neck stretching exercises, and make sure you have a proper diagnosis from your doctor.
These neck pain stretches are done in real time, so follow along if you want. They may help with general neck pain, neck spasms, tension headaches, or even that ole crick in the neck.
Neck pain is one of the most common sleeping pains, but finding a comfortable sleeping position that won’t strain your neck can be tough. Here are some tips to help get your neck in the best position for sleeping.
Sometimes neck pain happens with even the slightest movement. This often happens with a neck trauma like whiplash or a sport's injury. With any neck trauma, it's important to get checked out by your Healthcare Provider first. Once you're cleared for movement, these stretches and exercises may help.
A pinched nerve (or cervical radiculopathy) is basically when the nerve coming out of the spine gets irritated at the nerve root. This can cause pain and weakness going down into the arm. These exercises should help.
One of my favorite stretches for shoulder pain relief is an arms above the head stretch. It’s great for the shoulders as well as the neck, and upper back.
Often a tight levator scapulae muscle can cause neck pain because many of the muscles in the neck area go down into the shoulder as well. My favorite stretch for this area is a levator scapulae stretch.
Sore neck muscles are common when starting a new workout program or when exercising a little too hard. These neck stretches can help relax a sore & tight neck and provide pain relief.
