Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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Head, neck and shoulder exercises
Try to spend 10 to 15 minutes on these exercises every day, or when you can feel the tension building up. With all the exercises, try to feel the contrast between the tight, stretched movement, and the relaxed one. Keep your breathing pattern as steady and gentle.
Shoulders
- Sit with your back resting against the chair. Flop your arms down to your sides and let your hands hang loosely. The weight of your arms should pull your shoulders down automatically. Keep your arms in this position. As you inhale, lift your shoulders up towards your ears, hunching them firmly. Hold for a few seconds. As you exhale, let them gently fall back down. Repeat 3 - 5 times.
- Keeping your arms down by your sides, rotate both shoulders gently. Keep your arms and hands relaxed so that you are only moving your shoulders. Aim for a steady and easy movement (3 - 5 times). Relax for a moment then reverse the direction of rotation (3 - 5 times).
- Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and try to move them down your back Hold for 3 seconds. This should feel easy and not too forced. Practise each day 3 - 5 times.
Jaw
- Open your mouth wide, stretch, then, gently close. Try not to clench your teeth shut (3 - 5 times).
- Pretend to chew a toffee or chewing gum vigorously.
- Gently waggle your jaw from side to side (5 times).
- Open your mouth and breathe in. Yawn out, making a relaxed sound.
- Stretch out your tongue as far as it will go. Then relax it back to the floor of your mouth (3 - 5 times). Keep your jaw relaxed as you do so.
Head and neck
- Keep your body still and slowly turn your head towards your right shoulder. Feel the gentle pull of your neck muscles. Then relax back to the centre. Repeat this slowly 3 – 5 times. Repeat the whole exercise but turning to the left. Do not push it to its maximum rotation.
- Drop your chin to your chest and slowly move your head across to the right. Aiming your nose to your arm pit. Repeat this slowly 3 – 5 times. Repeat the whole exercise on the left side. Stop if there is any real pain or if you feel dizzy.
- Gently and slowly rotate your head right round in a semi-circle. Repeat in the other direction (3 times). Stop if you feel dizzy. Only rotate forwards with your chin on your chest. Do NOT tip your head back.
- Keep looking straight ahead, gently pull your chin in to create a double chin, and think about keeping the back of your neck long, as if the top of your head is being pulled up by a golden thread. This exercise should be performed gently with only 50% effort. Repeat 3 - 5 times.
- Throughout the day be aware of any slumped postures and correct by sitting tall, but using the back of the chair as support so you can rest into it.
Practising these exercises may help you to notice when your muscles begin to feel tight and strained throughout the day and also recognising any situations which make you feel tense.
If any of these exercises feel uncomfortable, or you experience pain, stop doing them and check with your therapist.
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Speech and language therapy service.
About this information
Service:
Speech and language therapy
Reference:
VV/031
Approval date:
27 September 2024
Review date:
1 September 2027
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.