Neck Pain Relief That Starts Beyond Your Neck
If you've struggled with neck pain for a long time, you've most likely tried stretching it, kneading it, and resting it. But here's a fact that you might not expect: some of the most effective exercises for a stiff neck focus on its surrounding regions instead. Your neck functions as part of a partnership that includes your jaw above and your upper back below, and two new studies published in 2026 reveal why that connection matters.
DON'T FORGET YOUR JAW
Researchers tracked 62 adults who had lived with neck pain for more than three months. (1) Everyone did neck stabilization exercises for six weeks, and half also did Rocabado exercises, a simple series of low-intensity movements for the jaw, tongue, and head posture. Both groups improved. The group that also did jaw exercises, though, experienced larger gains in how much pressure their neck could handle before it felt painful, in their sense of where their head was positioned, and in their balance. Because the jaw and neck share muscles and nerve pathways, it makes sense that helping one can benefit the other.
YOUR UPPER BACK HELPS OUT
A second trial of 54 adults introduced thoracic (mid- and upper-back) mobility exercises to standard neck exercises. (2) The added routine didn't relieve pain more than neck exercises alone, but it did bring better posture, spinal mobility, neck-related function, and use of the arms and shoulders. A stiff upper back tends to leave your neck working overtime, so loosening it might help everything above move more freely.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
These were small, short-term studies, and in both, the extra exercises were added to neck exercises rather than taking the place of them. Even so, they're a helpful reminder that the source of your discomfort and the path to comfort aren't always in the same place. Check out this podcast with Dr. Edgardo Vargas on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the treatment plan and the benefit of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for relief of chronic neck pain.
LET'S FIND YOUR BEST PLAN - CONTACT Most Chiropractic Clinic
If neck pain has been lingering longer than you'd like, contact our office in Murfreesboro to schedule a visit. We'll evaluate how your neck, jaw, and upper back are working together and work with you to create a home exercise program that works for your body and your routine.
