Hesperian Health Guides

Range-of-motion exercises—neck and trunk

In this chapter:

We show these as active exercises. Usually they should be done by the person himself. If any help is given it should be very gentle, with no force, especially when exercising a stiff neck.

NECK
child doing neck exercises
Turn head to left and to right, side to side, up and down, and back and forward.
TRUNK
Child doing trunk exerices
Bend back. Bend forward. Bend sideways. Twist.
UPPER BACK (shoulder blades):
child doing upper back exercises
Bringing shoulders forward, pulls the shoulder blades wide apart. Pulling shoulders back, pushes the shoulder blades close together. Pull shoulders up toward ears. Push shoulders down.
RIBS
A girl breathing in
Breathe in deeply
a girl breathing out
Breathe out deeply. See how long you can whistle or blow.

(Blow a whistle or blow up a balloon.)
JAW
child pulling jaw back and forth and opening mouth
child moving jaw side to side
Pull jaw back, and push forward. Open mouth wide. Move jaw to one side, and then to the other side.


This page was updated:04 Apr 2024