The neck hump also known as buffalo hump is caused due to fat build-up on the neck. It may be a cause of obesity, hereditary factors, or steroids. There may be other factors that might also cause or worsen the neck hump. However, neck hump can be cured through exercises and other treatments. In this article, we discuss the best exercises to perform if you have a neck hump.
5 stretches and poses that help reduce neck hump:
1. Sitting twists
This exercise is easy-to-follow and can be practiced by sitting in a chair. Here's how you can try sitting twists to reduce neck hump:
- Sit straight in a chair
- Now, turn to your right and use the chair's handle as a hold and stretch your back far as you can looking back
- Stretch for like 10 seconds and release
- Now repeat on the other side
- Perform these 10 on each side into 1-2 sets
2. Wall extension
Wall extension as the name suggests, requires you to use a wall to perform this stretch. Here's how you can practice wall extensions:
- Stand with your legs far apart to your shoulder's distance
- Stand in front of a wall and bend forward
- Try to place your palms on the wall and stretch as far as you can
- In this position, your face should be facing the floor
- Hold for 5 seconds and repeat a few times
3. Cat-cow pose
This yoga pose is proven to be helpful in reducing neck hump and any pain you might be experiencing due to the same. This is how you perform the cat-cow pose:
- Get on your knees and hands (How you would imitate a four-legged animal)
- Lift you back upwards, forming a mountain-like structure
- While you do that, make sure you push your face inwards, looking at your own torso
- Now, push your back inwards, forming a 'U' position with your back
- While you do that, look towards the ceiling
- Repeat mountain motion with face inwards and then ‘U' structure with face upwards for a minute
- Do not speed up, In fact, you are advised to switch positions slowly and gradually
4. Upward facing pose
Upward-facing dog position reduces the hump in the neck and also promotes flexibility in the muscles. This is how you can perform the upward-facing dog position:
- Lay flat on the ground facing the floor
- Slowly place your arms forward and try to lift your upper body
- Your legs are supposed to be laying next to each other, however, your arms need to be farther apart (in comparison to your shoulders)
- At this point, the body parts touching the ground would be your legs and palms of your hands
- In this position, you need to be facing the sky looking upwards
- Hold this position for a few seconds and release, repeat 5-10 times minimum
5. Hands in the air
As the name suggests, this exercise requires you to stretch your arms out. Here's how to perform this exercise also known as Savithri asana in yoga:
- Knee on both of your knees
- Stand straight from the knee up
- Raise your arms towards the ceiling as far as you can
- Hold for 10 seconds and repeat a few times
In conclusion, Stretching exercises and poses can help better your posture. These exercises and poses will help burn off the excess fat accumulated on your neck. Besides this, we also encourage you to eat well. Foods rich in calcium and protein promote better health of your bones and muscles. Practice these exercises regularly to see significant changes.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
