Exercises to Do at Home for Cervical Lordosis

How well you perform daily tasks and physical activities depends on the health and mobility of many parts of your body, including your neck. If the natural curve in your neck vertebrae is compromised, performing loss of cervical lordosis exercises may help counteract some of this abnormal curvature.

It's not uncommon to lose the good curve in your neck and go about life without even noticing. But if you're one of the many people who have symptoms related to the loss of cervical lordosis, you're likely dealing with daily problems that need to be addressed.

"Cervical lordosis is a loss of the lateral curve of your neck and spine," Dr. Allen Conrad, BS, DC, CSCS, the owner of Montgomery County Chiropractic Center tells LIVESTRONG.com. The curvature of your neck should follow a C-shape curve, and Conrad says if the spine and it's musculature is compressed, the loss of the curvature can cause problems to be aware of and may require neck curvature exercises to reduce the symptoms.

These symptoms may include neck pain, headaches, and referral numbness and tingling to your arms. Conrad says this loss of curvature can happen as a result of many factors including, arthritis, poor posture while sitting and standing, muscle imbalance, or repetitive activities like typing on the computer. And while neck pain, in general, is not necessarily something to worry about, Harvard Health Publications reports that if it occurs with other, more serious symptoms such as radiating pain, weakness, or numbness of an arm or leg, you need to see your doctor.

​Read more:​ Causes of Pain in the Neck and Back of the Head

Living with the loss of cervical lordosis can disrupt the functions of your daily life. But the good news is you can take steps to improve this condition and your quality of life. By combining expert care and therapeutic neck curvature exercises, you can improve the spine, neck and shoulder muscles.

In a small September 2017 study published in the ​American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation​, researchers randomly assigned exercise to 65 patients with loss of cervical lordosis.

What they found is that the exercise group, which received additional therapy as a home exercise program consisting of isometric neck extension exercises for three months, significantly improved the cervical lordosis angle in their neck. This study suggests that isometric neck extension exercises, or neck curvature exercises, improves cervical lordosis and pain.

Loss of cervical lordosis treatment involves partnering with your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist to design a program that fits your needs. With that in mind, Conrad says the goal of treatment is to improve your spinal alignment, as well as improve your posture by strengthening the surrounding muscles to hold the curvature in its proper place. To measure progress from the start of treatment and throughout, your healthcare provider will likely take lateral view X-rays of the cervical spine before treatment and also 10 to 12 weeks later to measure the improvements to the spinal curvature.

​Read more:​ Exercises to Relax Neck and Shoulder Muscles

There are several neck curvature exercises you can do to help with the loss of cervical lordosis. That said, working with an expert to ensure you're performing neck lordosis exercises correctly is ideal.

If you're doing these exercises at home, pay attention to any sharp pain, discomfort or tingling sensations you may experience. Discontinue the exercises immediately and consult your healthcare provider if you experience these symptoms or any other abnormal pain or discomfort.

The purpose of these at-home exercises is to help in the rehab stages. Once you are ready to follow a more comprehensive fitness program with moderate-intensity strength training, make sure to check with your doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist before proceeding. They can help you design a routine that is both safe and effective.

​Move 1: Seated Chin Tuck​

1. Sit up straight with your gaze facing forward.
   
2. Place one hand on your chin, and push your head backward as far as you can comfortably.
   
3. Hold this position for one to two seconds.
   
4. Slowly move your neck backward and forwards.
   
5. Do one to two sets of eight to 10 repetitions.
   

​Move 2: Seated Chin Nodding​

1. Sit up straight and place a towel around the back of your neck.
   
2. Hold on to both ends of the towel.
   
3. Look all the way down, then slowly up. This is similar to nodding your head up and down.
   
4. Do one to two sets of eight to 10 repetitions.
   

​Move 3: Seated Chin Nodding With a Theraband​

This is similar to the last exercise, but use a resistance band like a Theraband to replace the towel.

1. Hold both ends of the band while looking up and down. If the band is causing too much pressure on your neck, place a towel flat against your neck to reduce irritation directly with your skin.
   
2. Do one to two sets of eight to 10 repetitions.
   
3. Progress to a thicker resistance band as your endurance improves.
   

​Move 4: Upper Thoracic and Shoulder Extension​

1. Roll up a thick towel and place it in under your back.
   
2. Lay down on the towel so that it is parallel with your upper thoracic spine. This works best if you are laying on a workout bench.
   
3. Lay with your arms out to the sides at 90-degrees and slightly extended.
   
4. Pull your shoulder blades together, hold for one to two seconds, then relax.
   
5. Do one to two sets of eight to 10 repetitions.