The whole human body, including his neck, is formed from muscles. The list of the main ones also includes the belt muscle of the neck, which our article will be devoted to.
Each muscle has its own direction of fibers. For those located on the sides, it is oblique, and for the middle ones, it is longitudinal. All muscles are a kind of movable stand for the head and play a very important role.
Thus, the belt is a superficial layer of deep human muscles that base the spinal muscular array and form three layers (upper, middle and deep). Like others, the belt muscle is well developed. It is large and strong, located in the back of the cervical region and is a steam room. Contracting symmetrically, this muscle extends the spine, and with a unilateral contraction, the cervical part turns only in one direction. The innervation of the muscle is carried out with the help of the posterior spinal nerves, it is fed by the deep cervical and occipital arteries.
Who suffers from muscle pain
The disadvantages of sedentary work are well known to people who, with a long incorrect position of the head, may develop muscle spasm in the neck. Sometimes pain occurs when walking or other overexertion of this area. The result is vasoconstriction,violation of blood circulation and blood supply to the muscles, which leads to swelling, pain and hypoxia.
This condition, in turn, can lead not only to frequent headaches, but also to nervous disorders. Therefore, if the belt muscle of the neck hurts, it is necessary to take short breaks in work and pay attention to it.
How to strengthen muscles
All the muscles of the neck are paired, that is, lateral flexion-extension will use them completely. Thanks to this feature, the simplest stretching exercises are enough, but before you start doing them, you need to decide in which direction the slope is easier. For some, this is a backward movement, for others it is extension (tilting the head to the chest). Therefore, the exercises should be done in stages, first we develop the extensor muscles and only then, to strengthen them, we begin to perform lateral tilts of the head.
Starting small, but doing it every day and gradually increasing the tension in the neck muscles, we ensure that they are strengthened, including, of course, the belt muscle of the neck.
Extensions for extension
Exercises are performed in a standing position. With the help of hands folded at the back of the head, we press on the head and pull the chin to the chest. The back must be kept straight. In this exercise, the neck muscle is excellently used, as well as the semi-spinous, scalene and trapezius muscles of the head.
Stretching
Having worked this muscle group well, you can add a little load and start stretching them. In such a workout, we tilt our heads alternately - to the left and then to the right.
Accept starting position:
- The left hand is located on the back of the head.
- Lean forward, and then try to reach the chin to the shoulder.
- Resting.
- Change hand.
The lateral muscles are involved here, but the median ones also work additionally. Such exercises improve blood circulation, relieve excess static stress, and thanks to them, the belt muscle of the head and neck is well strengthened.
Bending exercises
Next, proceed to bending and tilting the head back:
- Hands folded into a forehead lock.
- Shoulders down.
- Chin stretches as high as possible.
And in conclusion, we repeat the exercises for stretching the lateral muscles. The basic rule of muscle stretching is that the movement is done strictly opposite to its usual movement. If you experience unpleasant pain in the belt muscle, use the exercises.
To feel it, you need to sit down and tilt your head slightly to the side. By pressing your fingers on the corner of the neck, you can feel how the belt muscle of the neck tenses. Its functions are responsible for turning, bending and stretching the cervical region. By pressing it with your fingers and holding them in this position for a while, you will feel her slow and pleasant relaxation.
Why do back muscles hurt
Medical statistics show that recurrent pain in the muscles of the back occurs in every third adult. Most often it is a neck spasm, but there are other reasons:
- One of them is cervical sciatica. It occurs when the nerve roots are infringed and is expressed in the form of acute attacks of pain. To prevent this, it is necessary to pay special attention to the formation of the muscular corset. It allows you to remove unnecessary stress from the neck.
- If you turn your head sharply or perform the exercises incorrectly, they may be stretched, accompanied by unpleasant pain.
- If the neck muscle is bothered by prolonged aching pain, and palpation clearly feels thickening and the pain becomes stronger, there is myositis - inflammation of the neck muscles.
- There are a number of other more serious diseases in which muscle pain is observed - cardiac ischemia, polymyalgia, ankylosing spondylitis. Therefore, if you experience frequent pain in the neck, you should consult a doctor.
Take care of yourself
If, nevertheless, a muscle spasm occurs, and the pain is strong enough, you should not immediately drink analgesics. In most cases, a warm, relaxing bath, a light massage, or a short, relaxing walk will suffice.
The pectoral neck muscle plays an important role in the respiratory and swallowing processes, pronouncing sounds, so you should pay special attention to it, perform simple exercises daily, monitor your posture and allow yourself to workshort break. It is an important part of our body that should be protected.
