I gave birth a few months ago and have started to notice a few new aches and pains in my body.
I’ve always had tight neck muscles, but carrying a newborn, combined with more time on my phone, has exacerbated the issue.
Scrolling through Instagram one day, I found a routine from chiropractior Dr Bridget Turney focused on improving what’s called postpartum “neck hump.”
While I haven’t noticed a protruding curve in my neck or upper spine, I figured it’s still a good idea to work on this area, especially as the exercises seemed manageable even under my current activity restrictions.
What causes “neck hump?”
A common cause of a neck hump, or excessive curvature at the top of the spine, is poor posture.
Spending a lot of time looking down at a screen or hunched over a laptop can contribute to the condition. So while Turney’s routine is focused on postpartum individuals, these exercises could benefit most people.
“Someone who is not postpartum could do these exercises as well,” says Dr Judith Meer, a physical therapist at The Pelvic PT.
“Anyone who spends time with their head hanging down or hunched forward over a phone or computer screen—or a baby!—can benefit from addressing their posture and workstation or baby-feeding setup, as well as strengthening their back and neck muscles.”
Dr Judith Meer is a doctor of physical therapy with a decade of expertise in pelvic health, pregnancy and postpartum care. She works across the age and gender spectrum and has offices in Vermont and New Jersey. You can find her at www.thepelvicpt.com
How to do the postpartum neck hump routine
For this routine, you’ll need an exercise mat, two hand towels and two yoga/mobility blocks (or a few thick books).
Turney also uses a clinician’s table for the reverse chin tuck, but you can use another elevated surface, like a bed.
Perform 20 repetitions per exercise:
- Behind the back
- Reverse chin tuck
- T-raise
- Swimmer
- Towel stretch
What I thought of the routine
Some exercises felt uncomfortable
Typically, people aren’t cleared for a full return to exercise until at least six weeks postpartum, and I’m not quite there yet.
While I felt strong enough in my upper body, lying on my stomach for the swimmer and T-raise wasn’t comfortable, as my core muscles are still recovering.
Meer says this is normal. “I often find that breastfeeding mamas are not comfortable lying prone for something like swimmers or the T-raise,” she says. “They will often fatigue quickly if their neck and back muscles are weak to begin with, and end up with poor and ineffective form.”
Meer suggested subbing in bent over rows or wall angels. I’ll try those moves next time.
My mid-back pain improved
My neck isn’t the only area giving me grief. Thanks to a comfy but unsupportive couch, my middle back has been aching for weeks.
But after doing these exercises, I noticed I was naturally sitting taller, especially when camped out with my newborn. The ache in my mid back wasn’t gone, but it was noticeably less intense.
The chin tuck was tricky at first
I always have to be mindful of my neck during any exercise, especially ones that involve lifting my head off the floor.
The first few repetitions of the reverse chin tuck tightened up my neck immediately.
I had to pause, do some gentle head rolls and try again, this time resting between repetitions. That seemed to help and I finished the set more comfortably.
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