Neck Pain Relief Exercises at Home: 12 Gentle Moves and Two Routines

Most of the neck pain people carry around in India is not the dramatic kind. It is the slow, nagging kind: a neck that feels tight by four in the afternoon, a head that will not turn fully when you reverse the scooter, a dull ache at the base of the skull after a long call. It builds over weeks of laptop work, phone scrolling and bumpy commutes.

For this everyday stiffness, gentle neck pain relief exercises are one of the most useful things you can do, and they cost nothing. Doctors and physiotherapists generally prefer a stiff neck to keep moving softly rather than be held rigid, because muscles that never go through their range tend to tighten further. The trick is doing it slowly, within comfort, and consistently.

This article gives you twelve gentle neck pain relief exercises with step-by-step instructions, holds, reps and what each one works on, then arranges them into a 10-minute morning routine and a 5-minute desk routine. It adds a do-and-avoid table for fresh versus long-standing pain, covers heat, cold and breathing, fixes the postures that undo the good work (phone, laptop, two-wheeler), and ends with the night half of the problem, the hours no stretch can reach. Our guide to neck pain covers the causes; this piece is about what to do with your own two hands.

Who should not do neck exercises at home?

Gentle stretching suits the everyday neck: stiff from sitting, tight from stress, sore after a poor night's sleep or a long ride. It is not a substitute for a diagnosis, and it is not the right first step for everyone.

Stop and see a doctor first if you have any of these

• Pain, tingling, pins-and-needles or numbness travelling from the neck into the shoulder, arm, hand or fingers
• Weakness in the arm or hand, a weaker grip, or dropping things
• Neck pain that began after a fall, a road accident, a sports collision or any blow to the head or neck
• Fever, chills, unexplained weight loss or feeling generally unwell alongside the pain
• Dizziness, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing or speaking, or loss of balance when you move the neck
• Pain that is severe, constant, waking you at night, or getting steadily worse
• A known condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, previous neck surgery or a diagnosed disc problem, unless your doctor or physiotherapist has cleared you

When pain or tingling runs down the arm, a nerve may be irritated, and a stretch that feels fine for a plain stiff neck can aggravate it. Our pages on upper-arm pain and cervical spondylosis describe that pattern, but only an examination can tell you what is going on in your own neck.

To say it plainly once: persistent or severe neck pain, any numbness or weakness, fever with neck pain, or pain that started after an injury needs a doctor, not a routine from the internet.

The 60-second movement check before you begin

Do this sitting upright on a chair before your first session, and again on any day the neck feels different. It tells you which direction is tight, which is sore, and whether today is a stretching day or a rest day.

1. Nod (10 seconds): drop your chin slowly towards your chest, then lift your face to the ceiling. Note which end feels tight and whether either end pinches.
2. Turn (15 seconds): look over your right shoulder as far as is comfortable, then the left. Note if one side stops noticeably earlier.
3. Tilt (15 seconds): take your right ear towards your right shoulder without lifting the shoulder, then the left. Note the side that feels shorter.
4. Shrug and drop (10 seconds): lift both shoulders to your ears, hold for two seconds, let them fall. Do they sit level afterwards, or does one stay hitched up?
5. Verdict (10 seconds): tightness only, with no sharp pain, dizziness or tingling, means you are clear to begin. A sharp catch in one direction means you skip the moves that go that way today. Tingling, dizziness or pain shooting into the arm means stop and book a doctor.

Write down your tight side; over two or three weeks this check is how you will notice progress.

How do neck stretches actually help?

A stiff neck is rarely a case of something being "out". Far more often, the muscles around it, particularly those running up from the shoulder blades and the small ones at the base of the skull, have shortened from being held in one position for hours, and the joints they pull on become irritated. Slow movement brings blood to muscles that have been squeezed still, comfortable held stretches encourage a shortened muscle to lengthen, and light strengthening gives the head a better platform to sit on. Exercises cannot reverse wear in the discs and joints, or undo a posture you return to for the other twenty-three hours, which is why this article pairs them with posture and pillow fixes.

Breathe before you stretch

Many people stretch with the breath held, which tightens exactly the muscles they are trying to relax. Sit tall, place one hand on your belly, breathe in through the nose for a count of four so the hand rises, and let the breath out through the mouth for a count of six, letting the shoulders drop. Three or four rounds are enough, and the deepest point of every stretch below should coincide with a long breath out. Warm muscles stretch more willingly, so in an air-conditioned room do the shoulder rolls first, or hold a warm towel on the neck for five minutes.

12 gentle neck pain relief exercises you can do at home

Read each move fully before trying it. The rules are the same throughout: move slowly, never bounce, stay at a comfortable pull rather than pain, and keep breathing. If anything produces sharp pain, dizziness, tingling or a headache, stop that move; if it happens again on another day, leave it out and check with a physiotherapist.

Group A: mobility moves. Loosen first. On a bad day, these four may be all you do.

1. Slow neck rotations (looking over each shoulder)

Targets: the joints and muscles that turn the head.

1. Sit upright with feet flat and hands resting on your thighs, chin level.
2. Turn your head slowly to the right, keeping the chin at the same height, until you feel a gentle pull on the left side of the neck.
3. Pause for two seconds, breathe out, and return to centre just as slowly.
4. Repeat to the left.

Dose: 5 turns each way, once or twice a day. Tip: keep the shoulders still; the movement comes from the neck, not the trunk.

2. Ear-to-shoulder side bends

Targets: the side neck muscles, especially the upper trapezius, the muscle that aches after carrying a bag on one shoulder.

1. Sit tall with arms loose, or hold the chair seat with the hand on the side you are stretching away from, to keep that shoulder down.
2. Take your right ear towards your right shoulder without lifting the shoulder to meet it.
3. Stop at a comfortable pull along the left side of the neck, breathe out, and let the head settle a little further under its own weight.
4. Return slowly and repeat on the other side.

Dose: hold 15 to 20 seconds, 3 times each side, with one extra on the side that felt shorter in the 60-second check.

3. Chin nods (small "yes" movements)

Targets: the tiny muscles at the base of the skull, where tension headaches often begin.

1. Sit or stand tall, eyes straight ahead.
2. Without bending the whole neck forward, make a small nod, as if saying "yes" in a very restrained way. The chin drops a centimetre or two; the back of the neck stays long.
3. Return to level and repeat slowly.

Dose: 10 slow nods, two or three times a day. Tip: if the whole head drops forward, that is a full neck bend, a different exercise.

4. Shoulder rolls

Targets: the whole shoulder girdle, which pulls on the neck when tight.

1. Sit or stand with arms relaxed at your sides.
2. Lift both shoulders towards your ears, roll them back so the shoulder blades draw together, then let them drop down and forward to complete the circle.
3. Keep the circles slow and large, about four seconds each.

Dose: 10 backward rolls, then 5 forward. Do these at the start of every routine and whenever the shoulders creep up during the day.

Group B: stretches. Lengthen the tight ones. Skip this group on a day of fresh, sharp pain.

5. Upper trapezius stretch with a light hand assist

Targets: the thick band between the neck and the tip of the shoulder. When neck and shoulder pain come together, this is usually the muscle involved; our shoulder pain page explains that overlap.

1. Sit and hold the chair seat with your right hand to anchor the right shoulder down.
2. Take your left ear towards your left shoulder, as in the side bend.
3. Rest your left hand lightly on the right side of your head. Do not pull; the hand adds only its own weight.
4. Breathe out slowly and feel the stretch from the right side of the neck into the top of the shoulder. Release the hand first, then the head, then the chair, and repeat on the other side.

Dose: hold 20 to 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times each side. Tip: if you feel pain at the base of the skull, you are pulling too hard.

6. Levator scapulae stretch (nose towards the armpit)

Targets: the muscle running from the top inner corner of the shoulder blade to the side of the neck. It is the classic culprit when you cannot turn your head after a night on a bad pillow.

1. Sit tall and anchor the right shoulder by holding the chair seat with your right hand.
2. Turn your head about 45 degrees to the left, so your nose points roughly at your left armpit.
3. Keeping the turn, drop your chin down and forward towards that armpit.
4. Place your left hand lightly on the back of your head, for weight only, breathe out, and feel the pull run from the right side of the neck down to the top of the right shoulder blade.
5. Release in reverse order and repeat on the other side.

Dose: hold 20 to 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times each side. Tip: this and the previous stretch look alike. The difference is the turn: straight sideways for the upper trapezius, turn and look down for the levator.

7. Doorway chest opener

Targets: the chest muscles, which shorten after years of rounded shoulders and quietly drag the head forward. Opening the chest often does more for the neck than stretching the neck itself.

1. Stand in a doorway with a forearm on each side of the frame, elbows at about shoulder height and bent to 90 degrees.
2. Step one foot forward so that your chest moves ahead of your arms. Keep the chin slightly tucked and the ribs down; do not arch the lower back.
3. Stop at a stretch across the front of the chest and shoulders, breathe slowly, then step back to release.

Dose: hold 20 to 30 seconds, 3 times. A room corner, with a hand on each wall, works just as well.

8. Seated upper-back extension over a chair back

Targets: the stiff upper back between the shoulder blades that rounds forward at a laptop. When it is stuck in a slump, the neck must crane upward to keep the eyes level.

1. Sit on a chair whose back reaches about your shoulder blades; a dining chair is usually right, a tall office chair too high.
2. Interlace your fingers behind your head and support it with your hands, elbows pointing gently outward.
3. Lean back so that the upper back bends over the top edge of the chair; the movement happens there, not in the neck or lower back.
4. Breathe in as you open, breathe out as you return upright.

Dose: 8 to 10 slow repetitions, once a day. Tip: keep the neck relaxed in your hands; if it strains, you are extending from the wrong place.

Group C: strength and posture. Teach the head where to sit. These are the moves that stop the pain returning, and the ones people skip because they are not dramatic. Do them daily.

9. Chin tucks against a wall

Targets: the deep muscles at the front of the neck that hold the head balanced over the shoulders instead of hanging forward. This is the move physiotherapists most often teach for desk-related neck pain, and it is easy to get wrong.

1. Stand with your back to a wall, heels a few centimetres away, so that your buttocks and upper back touch it. The head may or may not touch; do not force it.
2. Looking straight ahead, slide your chin straight backward, as if making a double chin, eyes level. The back of the head glides towards the wall.
3. Hold for five seconds. You should feel a gentle stretch at the back of the neck and mild work at the front.
4. Relax, let the head drift forward again, and repeat.

Dose: 8 to 10 tucks of 5 seconds, twice a day. Tip: no tilting up or down; the movement is a straight glide back, like a drawer closing.

10. Shoulder blade squeezes

Targets: the muscles between the shoulder blades that pull the shoulders back into place and stop the upper back rounding.

1. Sit or stand tall, arms relaxed at your sides, palms facing forward.
2. Draw the shoulder blades down and towards each other, as if holding a pencil between them. Do not shrug up.
3. Hold for five seconds, breathing normally, then release fully.

Dose: 10 squeezes of 5 seconds, two or three times a day. This one can be done unnoticed in a meeting or in the auto on the way home.

11. Wall angels

Targets: open chest, active upper back and tucked chin, all at once. It is the posture the whole routine is building towards.

1. Stand with your back, buttocks and head lightly against a wall, feet a little away from it, knees soft.
2. Tuck the chin as in exercise 9 and press the lower back gently towards the wall so the ribs do not flare.
3. Raise the arms to the sides with elbows bent to 90 degrees, backs of the hands and elbows touching the wall or as close as they can.
4. Slide the arms slowly up the wall as far as you can keep the elbows and wrists in contact, then slide back down.

Dose: 6 to 8 slow slides, once a day. Go only as high as the wrists stay in contact; the range improves within weeks.

12. Isometric neck holds (pressing without moving)

Targets: the neck muscles in every direction, strengthened without the neck moving, the safest strength move for a motion-sensitive neck.

1. Sit tall with your palm on your forehead. Press the head gently into the hand and the hand equally into the head, so that nothing moves, using about a quarter of your strength.
2. Hold for five seconds, breathing normally, then relax.
3. Repeat with the hand on the back of the head, then above the right ear, then the left.

Dose: 5 holds in each of the four directions, once a day. Tip: the pressure should feel like a firm handshake, not a push.

Your 10-minute morning neck routine

Mornings are when the neck is stiffest, especially after a night under a fan or air conditioner. This routine moves from loosening to lengthening to strengthening in ten minutes; if you are short of time, do the first six minutes and skip the strength block. Numbers in brackets refer to the exercises above; print or screenshot the table and keep it by the wall you use.

To make it stick, tie it to something you already do without fail: after brushing your teeth, before the first cup of tea, while the geyser heats up. A gentle ten minutes six days a week does more than a heroic half-hour done once.

Your 5-minute desk routine for neck pain

The morning routine loosens the neck; the desk routine stops it tightening again. Set a quiet reminder for every two hours of screen work; nothing here needs you to stand or draw attention.

Between breaks, two habits do more than any exercise. Look up from the screen at something far away every twenty minutes, which resets both your eyes and the forward creep of your head. And whenever you notice your shoulders have risen towards your ears, let them drop with one long breath out; repeated fifty times a day, that is a neck exercise in disguise.

Fresh neck pain vs long-standing neck pain: what to do and what to avoid

A neck that seized up this morning and a neck that has ached on and off for two years need different handling. Fresh, or acute, pain usually means an irritated muscle or joint that wants calm, gentle movement. Long-standing, or chronic, stiffness wants the opposite: regular, progressive movement and strength, because rest has already been tried. The table covers ordinary mechanical pain only; anything on the red-flag list sits outside it.

If your pain is worst first thing in the morning and eases through the day, sleep support is likely a large part of the story; our post on neck pain after sleeping works through that. If it builds through the day instead, posture and breaks are the bigger levers.

Heat or cold for neck pain: which one, when and how

The plain version: cold calms a fresh, hot, angry area; heat relaxes a tight, stiff, long-standing one. Neither is a treatment on its own, but the right choice makes the exercises more comfortable.

When to use cold

In the first day or two after a sudden strain, or after an unusual flare when the area feels warm or throbbing. Ice cubes in a plastic bag wrapped in a thin towel, or a packet of frozen peas, on the sore spot for 10 to 15 minutes, once every couple of hours. Never put ice directly on the skin, and stop if the skin goes white or numb rather than cool.

When to use heat

For the everyday stiff neck, before stretching, and at the end of a long day: a hot water bottle in a towel, a heating pad on low, or a small towel dipped in hot water and wrung out, for 15 to 20 minutes. In an Indian summer a heating pad feels unbearable; a warm shower aimed at the back of the neck, or a warm towel for ten minutes under the fan, does the job without heating the room. The warm oil massage many households already do before a bath is generally fine for a tight neck, provided the pressure is gentle, the front of the neck is left alone, and nobody finishes with a "crack".

When not to use heat

Not on an area that is swollen, bruised or warm to the touch, over any skin problem, or while sleeping, since a hot water bottle left in the bed can burn without waking you. If you have diabetes or reduced skin sensation, be extra careful with both, because you may not feel it becoming too much.

Posture fixes for phone, laptop and two-wheeler

You could do every exercise on this page perfectly and still have neck pain if your head spends ten hours a day hanging forward. The head weighs around four to five kilograms, and every centimetre it drifts ahead of the shoulders multiplies the work the neck muscles must do to hold it up.

Phone

Looking down at a phone held at waist height puts the neck at its worst angle, in small doses that add up to hours. Fixes that stick: bring the phone up rather than the head down, with the elbow resting on the other forearm or a table; use voice notes and calls instead of long typed messages; and move anything longer than a few minutes to a laptop or a phone stand at eye level. In bed, prop yourself up so the head is supported rather than craning forward off the pillow.

Laptop

A laptop's screen and keyboard are joined, so one of them is always in the wrong place. If you use one for more than an hour a day, raise it: a stand, a stack of books or a sturdy upturned box brings the top of the screen to eye level, then add a separate keyboard and mouse. Sit with your back against the chair, hips slightly higher than knees, screen at arm's length. If you work from a bed or sofa, at least sit against the wall with a cushion behind the lower back and the laptop on a lap table, not on your knees.

Two-wheeler

Millions of Indians commute on a scooter or motorcycle, and the neck takes a beating nobody talks about: the helmet's weight on a head held forward, potholes and speed breakers jolting a rigid neck, and a hunched, chin-forward riding posture. What helps: the lightest ISI-marked helmet you can find, fitted snugly; sitting back with shoulders relaxed and elbows soft rather than locked, so the arms absorb bumps instead of the neck; looking up and ahead rather than at the road just in front of the wheel; and on rides over half an hour, one stop for shoulder rolls and slow rotations. Pillion riders should hold the grab rail and stay relaxed rather than bracing through every bump. If your neck is worse after riding, prioritise shoulder blade squeezes and chin tucks, which build the endurance riding demands.

Neck exercises and your pillow: why sleep matters as much as stretching

Here is the arithmetic that most neck exercise advice leaves out. Even a generous routine gives the neck fifteen minutes a day of deliberate care. Sleep gives it seven or eight hours. If those hours are spent with the neck bent up, down or sideways because the pillow does not match your body, the night undoes the morning, every single day.

The stretches lengthen the muscles that have shortened; the pillow decides whether they spend the night shortened again. Stretch the right upper trapezius every morning, then sleep on your left side on a pillow too thin, so that side is held long all night, and you are running on a treadmill.

What the neck needs on your back and on your side

On your back, the neck keeps its gentle forward curve, so it needs a small amount of support under the neck itself and very little under the head; a thick pillow here pushes the chin down, the phone-scrolling position held for hours. On your side, the spine is straight from tailbone to skull and the head needs to be held up by exactly the distance the shoulder sticks out. If you sleep in both positions, as most people do, one pillow has to do both jobs. Our post on the best sleeping position for neck pain walks through positions, and how thick should a pillow be covers the height question on its own.

Why one size cannot do this

The right height depends on two numbers that vary from person to person: how long your neck is and how broad your shoulders are. Neckfit measures both at home. Neck length, which the brand calls DICOP, is the distance from the bump at the back of your head to the C7 bone at the base of the neck, the one that stands out when you drop your chin. Shoulder broadness, called DEWA, is the distance from your ear to the wall when you stand with your shoulder against a wall. The how to measure page shows both with pictures; they take about two minutes with a scale and a helper.

From those two numbers the pillow is made in one of 24 sizes, set by your neck-length band and your shoulder broadness, so there is thin support only under the neck when you are on your back and a thicker section under the head, sized to your shoulder, when you turn to your side.

Plus or Sorpresa

Neckfit Plus keeps nothing under the head when you lie on your back, only the neck support, which is the most neutral option. Some people find the empty space under the head odd at first, and for them Neckfit Sorpresa adds slight cushioning under the head on the back while keeping the same side-sleeping thickness; the why Neckfit page sets the two side by side. Both use a high-resilience fibre inside a quilted cover, are hand-washable, and fold into a laptop-sized case for travel.

Neckfit reports that more than 90 per cent of its users experience relief from neck, back, shoulder and upper-arm pain, and that around 70 per cent feel a difference from the first night; the brand also says physiotherapists and orthopaedic doctors have recommended it, with their letters on its testimonials page. Those are the brand's own figures, and your neck may respond differently.

A 7-night plan to pair the routine with a new pillow

If you do change your pillow, do not expect the first night to feel like home, and do not drop the exercises while you adjust. A pillow that finally holds the neck neutral can feel strange precisely because the neck has grown used to the wrong position.

1. Night 1: full morning routine on the day the pillow arrives; at bedtime, belly breathing and four slow rotations lying on your back on the new pillow, then sleep in your usual position.
2. Night 2: notice, without judging, where you wake up stiff, and add one extra side bend on that side to the morning routine.
3. Night 3: side sleepers, ask someone at home to check that your ear, shoulder tip and hip form a straight line when you lie down. If the head is tipped up or down, re-check your DEWA measurement.
4. Night 4: keep the routine. For many people the "new" feeling has faded by now; if one spot still complains, use warmth for ten minutes before bed.
5. Night 5: repeat the 60-second movement check in the morning and compare the notes with day one.
6. Night 6: try the position you usually avoid for the first twenty minutes, so the neck experiences neutral support in both.
7. Night 7: decide. If mornings are easier than a week ago, you have found your size. If you are consistently sore in the same place, re-measure both numbers following our step-by-step post on how to measure pillow size; a small error in either measurement is a common reason for a wrong fit.

The full range of sizes and both lines are in the shop. Prices run from ₹2,760 to ₹4,230 with all taxes included, delivery across India is free and takes about five working days, and a first order gets 10 per cent off with the coupon FIRST10.

Common mistakes people make with neck exercises at home

If your neck feels worse after a few days of exercising, one of these is usually the reason.

• Full neck circles. Rolling the head all the way round, especially tipping it far back, grinds the joints at the back of the neck and leaves some people dizzy. Use the separate movements instead: turn, tilt, nod.
• Getting the neck "cracked". The barber's twist at the end of a haircut, an elder's confident jerk of the head, a friend who saw a video: none of them knows what is happening inside your cervical spine. Sudden forced rotation is something physiotherapists routinely ask people to avoid.
• Copying an advanced yoga video. Shoulder stands, plough pose and headstands load the neck heavily and are not beginner neck-pain exercises. If you practise yoga, tell your teacher about your neck and ask for modifications.
• Sleeping on the arm or with a hand under the head. Common in Indian homes in hot weather when a pillow feels too warm, and a reliable way to wake with a tilted neck. A breathable pillow at the right height solves the warmth problem without the tilt.
• Stacking two pillows, or carrying a one-shoulder bag. Piling pillows to "support" the neck usually pushes the head far forward, and a laptop bag or full jhola on one shoulder holds the upper trapezius shortened all the way to the office. Match height to your body, and switch bag sides or use both straps.

Neck exercise myths vs facts

• Myth: if it does not hurt, it is not working. Fact: for the neck, the opposite is true. The best stretch is a comfortable pull that eases as you breathe; pain during a stretch means the muscle is guarding, not lengthening.
• Myth: a cervical collar rests the neck and speeds recovery. Fact: for ordinary stiffness, a collar worn for days weakens the very muscles that need to hold the head. Doctors reserve collars for specific injuries, and even then for limited periods.
• Myth: a firmer pillow is always better for the neck. Fact: firmness is a comfort preference; height is what matters. A firm pillow at the wrong height is still the wrong pillow.
• Myth: once the pain goes, you can stop. Fact: pain is the last thing to arrive and the first to leave. The stiffness and weakness behind it remain for weeks after the pain fades, which is why the routine is worth keeping as a daily habit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for neck exercises to relieve pain?

Many people feel looser straight after a session, but that early ease fades within hours at first. Steadier change, fewer stiff mornings and freer turning, usually takes two to four weeks of near-daily practice for ordinary mechanical stiffness. If nothing has changed after six weeks, ask a physiotherapist to check your technique and look for a cause the exercises are not addressing.

Which exercise is best for cervical pain?

If you could do only one, many physiotherapists would pick the chin tuck, because it retrains where the head sits on the neck, which is the root of most desk-related cervical pain. Pair it with the levator scapulae stretch and you cover both the strengthening and the lengthening side. Anyone diagnosed with cervical spondylosis should have the moves cleared by their treating doctor first.

Should I stretch my neck if it hurts right now?

Not with long, held stretches. On a day of fresh, sharp pain, keep to small, comfortable movements, chin nods, shoulder rolls and gentle rotations within the pain-free range, with warmth before and after. Held stretches and strength moves come back once the sharpness settles, usually within two or three days. If the pain is severe, comes with tingling or weakness, or followed an injury, see a doctor before doing anything.

Can neck exercises help with headaches?

Tension-type headaches that start at the base of the skull and spread forward are often linked to the small muscles at the top of the neck, and chin nods, chin tucks and the upper trapezius stretch are the moves people usually find helpful. Pillow height plays a part too, since a head tipped forward all night loads the same muscles; our post on choosing a pillow for neck pain and headaches goes deeper into that link. Headaches that are sudden, severe or unlike anything you have had before need a doctor, not a stretch.

Do I still need a good pillow if I exercise every day?

Yes; the two work from opposite ends of the day. A chin tuck teaches the head to sit back over the shoulders; a pillow that is too high pushes the chin towards the chest for hours, the exact position the tuck is trying to unlearn. On your side, a pillow too thin for your shoulder lets the head drop and holds one upper trapezius shortened all night, which is why the tight side in your 60-second check is so often the side you sleep on. A pillow matched to your measurements holds at night the position the exercises teach by day.

Start with the 60-second check, do the morning routine tomorrow, and keep the desk breaks going through the week. Most people find the neck feels different within a fortnight. Then look at your pillow as honestly as you have looked at your posture, because that is where the hours are.

This article is general information for healthy adults and is not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan. Neck exercises are not suitable for everyone; the stop rules in the first section apply to every move here, and if you are unsure, please ask a doctor or physiotherapist before you begin.