What to Do When You Can't Look Up

In this video, I address the common problem of what to do when you can’t tilt your head backward (look up).

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After releasing a video post on How to Quickly Fix a Kink in Your Neck (https://www.thephysicaltherapyadvisor..., I received positive feedback on YouTube about how simple and effective the method I demonstrated was to self-treat a painful stiff neck. This method helped to fix the problem with looking left and right, but viewers began to ask what they should do if they can’t look up without pain.

In this video post, I address the common problem of what to do when you can’t tilt your head backward (look up). This initially can be challenging to treat (even more challenging than fixing turning or rotating your head), but with these two self-treatment strategies you might be able to get some relief.

Most important, your posture matters. Poor posture puts your neck in an extended and compromised position. Your upper thoracic is a critically in maintaining proper cervical mobility (including the ability to look up).

The key to eliminating pain is to improve the mobility of the thoracic spine, so the neck and shoulders no longer have to compensate for the lack of thoracic mobility. Be sure to subscribe to my e-mail list to gain immediate access to My Top 8 Stretches to Eliminate Neck, Upper Back, and Shoulder Pain (https://www.thephysicaltherapyadvisor...) for foam roller mobilizations and stretches that are designed to counteract the stresses and postures of daily life and to restore the normal mobility to the upper back.

In this video, I demonstrate the McKenzie method for cervical retractions in order to improve your neck motion. This secondary technique, called the side bend with rotation, may also help you to look up without pain if the problem is in your upper cervical area. I highly recommend the following book, Treat Your Own Neck (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/098..., by Robin A. McKenzie.

Ideally, you should be able to self-treat your problem of not being able to tilt your head up by improving your posture (with my recommended foam roller mobilizations and stretches) in addition to using these two techniques (cervical retractions and the side bend with rotation) that I demonstrate in the video.

If you’re not experiencing relief after trying these self-treatment techniques, contact your local physical therapist for an assessment and help in managing the condition. The American Physical Therapy Association (https://aptaapps.apta.org/APTAPTDirec...) offers a wonderful resource to help find a physical therapist in your area.

Which of these two techniques (cervical retractions and the side bend with rotation) worked the best for you? Please share below.

If you have a question that you would like featured in an upcoming blog post, please comment below or submit your question to contact@thePhysicalTherapyAdvisor.com. In case you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to my e-mail list (https://www.thephysicaltherapyadvisor...) and YouTube channel as well as join our community on Facebook by liking @ThePhysicalTherapyAdvisor!