So many people have neck tightness, stiffness, and pain and the common approach for most physical therapists is to address this issue with neck stretches.
Yet, I’ll be the controversial voice that says: neck stretches and exercises will do very little to alleviate this type of pain — and in many cases, they can even reinforce the underlying dysfunction.
It’s ironic that I would be the one to state this as I’m in the gym working out almost daily and teach a weekly strength and toning class!
The Real Culprit: A Frozen Thorax
In my clinical experience, the primary cause of neck pain and stiffness isn’t isolated to the cervical spine — it’s a lack of coordinated movement and support from the thoracic spine and ribs below C7.
Many people today are walking around as if they’re wearing an invisible straightjacket around their chest. Their upper thoracic spine (particularly between T2–T8) is rigid, locked down, and cut off from functional movement.
This lack of mobility is often exacerbated by chronic stress, anxiety, poor postural habits, and even environmental factors like poor air quality which impact respiratory function. As thoracic mobility decreases, we gradually lose proprioceptive and sensory awareness in the area between the shoulder blades. The scapula needs to work harder to glide, potentially distributing the work of this region to the arms and neck.
Try This: Feel It for Yourself
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