A neck side bend stretches tight muscles along the side of the neck after whiplash: sitting tall, let one ear drop toward the shoulder below it and hold for 15 seconds, 3 times per side.
Not every exercise is for every patient. The ones meant for you carry a check mark on the home sheet your physician fills out; stick to those, morning and evening, every day, unless the sheet gives you a different schedule.
What are the steps for the side bend?
- Get set: Sit tall with both shoulders resting low.
- Move: Tip your head so your ear moves toward your shoulder. Stop when you feel a light stretch on the other side of your neck. Then switch.
- How many: Hold 15 seconds. Do 3 on each side.
How does the side bend help you recover?
The side-of-the-neck muscles often tighten up and stay guarded for weeks after a collision. A slow side stretch lets them let go a little at a time.
Tight, knotted muscles along the neck and upper back are common after a crash. Our page on myofascial pain and trigger points explains why they hang on.
Which mistakes should you watch for?
- Raising your shoulder to meet your ear.
- Twisting your chin while you tilt. Keep facing forward.
- Using your hand to pull your head down, unless your physician has told you to.
When should you stop and call us?
Feeling a stretch, a bit of ache, or next-day stiffness is expected and fine. Stop the exercise and call us if you notice any of these:
- Sharp or stabbing pain
- Pain that jumps 2 or more points above your usual and lasts over an hour
- New numbness, tingling or weakness
- Dizziness or a change in your vision
Call 911 right away for chest pain, fainting or trouble breathing.
Why does your exercise log matter?
Each time you finish your exercises, tick the box on your log, and jot your pain number down once a day. The log rides along to every visit. Your technician adds up your days, has you demonstrate one exercise so form can be checked, and enters that tally in the visit note, right beside the treatments.
What to remember
- Ear toward shoulder, face still forward.
- Shoulders stay low.
- Fifteen-second holds, three per side.
Show us you have it: Do one side bend to each side and show us where you feel it. If any part is unclear, ask us to go over it again; there is no limit on that.
Other neck exercises in the program
This page belongs to the Gateway Midwest physician-directed physiotherapy program. On Natural Bridge Road, the physician who examined you signs each order, and no treatment runs without a physician on site.
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.