Standing Side Neck Stretch (Female)

The side neck stretch is a standing mobility drill: with your feet shoulder-width apart, you tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear toward your shoulder, hold the position, then switch. It lengthens the upper trapezius and the levator scapulae, the two muscles that tighten first after hours at a desk or on a phone. How long should you hold it? Fifteen to thirty seconds per side is the standard window, long enough for the tissue to release without forcing the joint. Let the weight of your head do the work rather than pulling with your hand, and keep both shoulders down instead of letting the opposite one ride up, which is the most common way people cheat the stretch. Done two or three times a day, it is one of the simplest ways to keep neck and shoulder tension from building.