You can cure neck stiffness yourself! Stretching the sternocleidomastoid muscles [Guitarist Self-care Techniques]

Hello! My name is Takuto Fujioka and I am a "guitarist specialist chiropractor"!

Today, I would like to look at the stiffness of the neck that occurs during guitar practice.

When you play the guitar while looking at the tablature on the screen of your smartphone / PC, you gradually start looking like this, don’t you?

The posture is such that the head comes forward and it becomes a stoop.

The posture is so-called "straight neck" and "smartphone neck", but is there anyone who has this posture when playing the guitar?

When the head is in a forward position, the weight of the head directly burdens the neck. The weight of the head is about 5 kg. It's heavier than a Les Paul.
The muscle called "sternocleidomastoid muscle" supports this weight.

There are many lymphatics, blood vessels, and nerves in the neck, and the stiffening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle can cause not only muscle fatigue but also headaches and dizziness.

However, can we, who live in the present age, do anything about the way we look at smartphones? Can we correct our guitar playing posture?
The root cause of neck stiffness is posture, so you should correct your posture, but I think that there are many people who cannot do that.

The first important thing is not to accumulate fatigue.
If you can master stretches to relieve neck stiffness here today and allow it to take root as self-care, you will be able to get a body that is less tired.

It is also recommended for those who do desk work, so please read to the end!
Let's go.

[Let's learn about the sternocleidomastoid muscle]
（https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/胸鎖乳突筋）
The sternocleidomastoid muscle is a long, thick, sturdy muscle that extends from the clavicle to the back of the head.
This muscle contracts, allowing you to bend, stretch, and tilt your neck sideways.

[How to stretch the sternocleidomastoid muscle]
First, gently massage from the clavicle. Touch the area in the red circle imagining that you are stroking and shifting the skin near the chest of the clavicle. Do not rub or push here, do not force it, just relax.

Then touch the back of your head behind your ears.
I think there is a boundary between the neck and the back of the head, so put your finger on it and press it lightly.

There is a boundary between the neck and occipital region around the yellow line, which is touched by the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

While holding it with your finger, bend or turn your neck, or tilt your neck in the opposite direction of the person holding it.
It is not necessary to move it too much, so move it within the range where the pain is not strong. If you push it, people with strong stiffness will have more pain, which is counterproductive. Do not overdo it.
The time is about 30 seconds.

When you're done with one side, check to see if your neck feels better than the other. It's OK if it feels lighter!

If you have severe neck stiffness, try this massage after practicing your guitar for a long time or after working on your smartphone or PC! If you can continue to do it, you will be able to build your own body, one that will not leave you tired! Keeping the same posture will put a lot of strain on your body. Please do your best after using your body!

I would be grateful if you could tell me what you thought of this!
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me on my Twitter account or the official line(https://lin.ee/6AGJ9JX)! I will answer to the best of my ability( ^ω^ )
See you soon!

コラム「sound＆person」は、皆様からの投稿によって成り立っています。
投稿についての詳細はこちら