Yoga for Neck and Shoulders: Release Tension and Pain with Restorative Supported Child’s Pose

These days, neck and shoulder pain is a common complaint, especially for people who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk or looking down at their phones (which is pretty much all of us, isn’t it?). Poor posture and repetitive movements can put strain on the muscles and joints of the neck and shoulders, leading to pain and stiffness. Sometimes it feels like a losing battle because the amount of time we spend on devices is often much greater than the time we put into correcting our posture.

It’ll come as no surprise that Yoga is a great way to relieve neck and shoulder pain. You’ll likely have already heard that Yoga can help to stretch and strengthen the muscles of the neck and shoulders, improve posture, and reduce stress. However, what pose(s) are most beneficial? There are numerous poses to help you work on neck and shoulder strength and flexibility, and the combination of the two are likely to be the best remedy for poor posture. That’s a subject for another post entirely, and in fact we have an entire class in our On Demand Video library dedicated specifically to remedying Text Neck.

To complement our strength and flexibility work ideally we’re looking for a sustainable rest pose that we can use for relief without having to exert too much effort. Something supportive and Restorative, with a focus on rest and recovery. One particularly beneficial pose for neck and shoulder pain that suits this purpose is Restorative Supported Child’s Pose with Prayer Hands.

Benefits of Restorative Supported Child’s Pose with Prayer Hands

In my post covering some of my favourite Restorative Yoga Poses I go into a bit more detail on the general benefits of Restorative Yoga. There are certainly lots of resources online which cover the topic of Restorative Yoga from their own unique perspective. Restorative Supported Child’s Pose with Prayer Hands is a gentle and relaxing pose that offers a number of benefits for the neck and shoulders, including:

• Reduces tension and stiffness: The pose helps to very gently stretch the muscles of the neck and shoulders, releasing tension and stiffness. This is a passive pose, so the stretch is accompanied by greater relaxation vs other more active stretching poses.
• Improves posture: The pose helps to align the spine and improve posture. This can help to reduce stress on the neck and shoulders and prevent future pain. As mentioned before this is best approached as a complementary pose alongside other strength focused poses, or poses which actively stretch the same muscle groups.
• Increases mobility: Relaxing into the pose helps to increase range of motion in the neck and shoulders. This can improve flexibility and make it easier to perform everyday activities.
• Reduces stress: The pose is calming and relaxing, which can help to reduce stress levels. Stress can be a major contributor to neck and shoulder pain, so reducing stress can help to alleviate pain and improve overall well-being. This is a great pose to try before bed to help relieve some of the stress and tension from the day. That way you can be more comfortable as you lay down to sleep.

How to Do Restorative Supported Child’s Pose with Prayer Hands

The goal of any Restorative Yoga pose is to get as comfortable as possible in the pose. You shouldn’t feel excessive stretch or strain and you also shouldn’t have to engage any muscles to remain comfortable in the pose. The aim here is to fully let gravity take over here and relax each and every muscle into your body so you can sink into the pose. In order to accomplish that goal while getting into Restorative Supported Child’s Pose with Prayer Hands, you will need a bolster and two yoga blocks. This will enable you to adjust the support beneath you so that you can fully relax into the pose while your body is supported by the props.

Here’s how to get into the pose:

1. Place the bolster lengthwise on your yoga mat.
2. Come to your hands and knees over the bolster, your knees will likely wind up on other side of the bolster.
3. Send your seat to your heels and lay your belly down on the bolster.
4. You can adjust the height of the bolster by adding more blocks underneath it if that is more comfortable.
5. Once you feel settled, place a block under each elbow and bend your elbows bringing your palms together behind your head.
6. Drop your forehead down to the mat.
7. Eventually, if you feel you want to increase the stretch for the shoulders and arms you can remove or lower the bolster and/or increase the height of the blocks under your elbows.
8. Once you have found a comfortable level of stretch for you, close your eyes and relax into the pose for 5-10 minutes.

It’s important to remember that this pose should feel relaxing and restful. If you have any pain, come out of the pose immediately and see if there’s something you can adjust to help it feel more comfortable. If you are suffering from neck and shoulder pain, yoga can be a great way to find relief. Restorative Supported Child’s Pose with Prayer Hands is a gentle and relaxing pose that can help to reduce tension and stiffness, improve posture, increase mobility, and reduce stress. However, if you have any chronic pain or injuries, it is important to talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise program. Let me know if this pose works for you, or tell me what is your favourite restorative yoga pose for neck and shoulder tension?