If you’re searching for “how to get rid of knots in neck,” most likely you’re suffering with:
- Neck pain
- Muscle tension
- And most likely, a headache
And if you have a knot in your neck, you probably can’t:
- Focus on work
- Be present with your family
- Or just enjoy a moment of peace in the day
Neck pain is a particularly nagging type of pain that tends to snatch you right out of your everyday life. If all you can focus on is how to get rid of those knots in your neck, you’re in the right place.
We’re Back Muscle Solutions, and our specialty is putting the power back in the hands of the people with the pain. Today, we’ll focus on the 5 best tips for getting rid of those knots in your neck and fast! We’ll cover:
- How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck: 5 Tips
- What is a Muscle Knot?
- How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck: Contributing Muscles
- What Causes Knots in Neck?
- Our Best Neck Resources
- How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck: FAQs
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck: 5 Tips
As someone who’s had severe neck pain before, I know that when you’re experiencing a knot in your neck, you want to know how to fix it as fast as possible.
So, let’s get right to it: how to get rid of knots in your neck–5 of my best tips.
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck - Tip #1: Massage
When it comes to how to get rid of a knot in your neck ASAP, I recommend starting with massage.
Trigger point therapy is an effective technique to loosen tight muscles–including muscles in your neck.
Self-Massage
You can massage your neck muscles yourself using a few methods.
Hands:
Using your own hands is one of the fastest methods when considering how to release the knots in your neck.
1) Use your fingers to press into the knot on your neck, applying firm pressure.
2) Move your fingers in a circular motion for several seconds while deep breathing.
If using your hands to release the knot in your neck isn’t working–or if you feel like you need something with even more pressure–try using a massage ball instead.
1) Place a massage ball on the knot in your neck.
2) Next, press it up against a wall or the floor, applying moderate pressure.
3) Roll up and down to begin the massage.
4) When you feel the knot releasing, hold to press into the release.
If self-massage is your thing, I also recommend trying out a self-massage tool like the QL Claw to help get those hard-to-reach areas.
Professional Massage
If those neck knots are still persisting, you might need to consider reaching out for professional help. A professional deep-tissue massage will help release the knots in your neck.
You may notice your massage therapist using their own hands and fingers–or even their elbows for extra pressure.
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck - Tip #2: Neck Stretches
Massage will help your neck muscles calm down and relax enough, so you can stretch and strengthen them.
When it comes to how to get rid of muscle knots in your neck, stretching will help lengthen the muscles. Here are two great neck stretches that I recommend:
Upper Trapezius Head Tilt
This is a highly effective stretch for relieving tension and discomfort in your upper traps and neck.
1) Sit comfortably on a yoga mat or flat surface.
2) Gently tilt your head to the left, bringing your ear closer to your shoulder.
3) Place your left hand over your head and rest it on your right ear. Apply gentle pressure to deepen the stretch, but stop if you feel any pain.
4) Breathe deeply, holding the position for a few seconds before slowly releasing.
5) Repeat the stretch on the opposite side.
Shoulder Shrugs
1) Stand with your feet hip-width apart and let your arms relax naturally at your sides.
3) Raise your shoulders toward your ears, mimicking a shrugging motion.
4) Hold this position briefly for a few seconds.
5) Lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
6) To further improve flexibility and mobility, try rolling your shoulders forward or backward. This can help loosen up the area before performing additional stretches.
Check out some more great neck stretches in the articles below:
"8 Trapezius Stretches to Loosen Tight Traps”
“Quick Levator Scapulae Pain Relief With These 8 Stretches”
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck - Tip #3: Neck Strengthening
Neck injuries tend to happen more frequently if the muscles in your neck are weak.
While not the most conventional muscle to strengthen, there are plenty of great exercises out there to help you build up neck strength. Here’s one of my favorite neck exercises out there:
Front and Back Plate Neck Crunches
1) Lie on your back on a bench with your head and neck hanging off the edge.
2) Place your feet flat on the opposite end of the bench and bend your knees upward.
3) Hold a weight plate securely on your forehead with both hands.
Tip: To prevent the weight plate from leaving marks, you can place a towel between your forehead and the plate.
4) Using your neck muscles, lift your head by tucking your chin toward your chest.
5) Slowly lower your head back, extending your neck in a controlled motion.
6) Repeat.
Yoga
Yoga is also recommended as a method for how to get rid of knots in your neck. Yoga poses, such as cobra pose, stretch your neck and help release any tension held there.
To learn more about neck exercises, check out our article below:
“Neck Workouts for a Thicker, Stronger Neck”
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck - Tip #4: Heat and Cold Therapy
Alternating heat and cold therapy is another great answer for “how to get rid of knots in neck.”
When you use heat, you increase blood flow and relax your muscles.
When you use ice, you constrict the blood vessels, which also leads to muscle relaxation.
Both are effective methods for how to get rid of knots in your neck. So try them out, and see which is right for you.
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck - Tip #5: Posture & Ergonomics
Ever hear the term “tech neck?” If not, you can probably already guess what it means.
Unfortunately, we live in a society that doesn’t necessarily promote the best posture. Whether it’s hunching over to look at your phone or craning to work on your computer, our necks take the brunt of our modern lifestyle.
We can fix this by ensuring our workstations are properly set up to protect our necks!
Here are some recommendations for an ergonomic work setup:
- Get a standing desk.
- Elevate your laptop with a laptop stand.
- Invest in a wireless keyboard.
- Use a wireless, ergonomic mouse.
- Keep your phone at eye level when possible.
Learn more about “tech neck” in the article below:
“What is Turtle Neck Syndrome and How to Fix it!”
Learn how to set up an ergonomic workstation in the article below:
“What’s the Most Important Benefit of Maintaining a Neutral Posture?”
What is a Muscle Knot?
All right. Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to try out some of those fixes for how to get rid of knots in your neck. And hopefully, you’re already feeling some relief!
Now that we’ve addressed the pain, let’s get educated on the topic. To start: What even is a muscle knot?
When your muscle fibers become taut, tight, and angry, this results in muscle spasms and contractions. This is a knot.
When you place your fingers on a knot, it will feel hard, sore, and painful.
For knots in your neck specifically, you may find they can result in headaches. For me personally, this is one of the most common side effects I feel when I get knots in my neck.
When it comes to releasing muscle knots, I recommend the QL Claw massage device. Hands down–it’s the best back massager for knots!
This device allows you to get pain relief–especially in your lower back–right from the comfort of your home.
Learn more about the QL Claw by clicking below.
And see some reviews from our customers.
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck: Contributing Muscles
So, we know what muscle knots are. But when it comes to how to get rid of knots in your neck, what muscles are we working with here?
Upper Traps
The most common muscle? Your upper trapezius.
Your trapezius is a large, triangular muscle that runs from the base of your skull all the way down to your shoulders. Divided into upper, middle, and lower–it’s the upper traps that tend to cause most neck knots.
Upper traps run from the base of the skull to the top of your shoulders, and they help you shrug your shoulders and tilt your neck to each side. So while–yes–they are connected to your shoulders–traps are also very much connected to your neck.
When they get strained, they can cause knots in the neck.
So, when it comes to how to get rid of knots in your neck and shoulders, traps are the key.
If you feel like your pain is more shoulder-blade-related, we’ve got a great resource for you:
“How To Release The Knot Behind Your Shoulder Blade”
Learn more about trapezius trigger points in the article below:
“Untangle that Knot! Learn About Trapezius Trigger Points”
Levator Scapulae
Another neck muscle that tends to stiffen up and cause knots is the levator scapulae.
Connecting the shoulder blade to the neck, this muscle is just underneath the trapezius, and they work together with the rhomboid to help raise your shoulder blades.
Learn about levator scapulae trigger points below:
“How To Release Levator Scapulae Trigger Points”
What Causes Knots in Neck?
But what causes the knots in your neck? And how do they tense up and form knots? There are lots of potential causes, and the best approach to prevention is understanding the causes and addressing these in your life!
What Causes Knots in Neck? - Poor Posture & Inactivity
We already talked about the negative impacts of technology on your neck muscles, and it’s no secret that improved posture helps prevent knots in your neck.
Sitting too long to stare at a computer–or even sleeping with the wrong pillow–can all impact your neck muscles.
What Causes Knots in Neck? - Stress
We tend to hold a lot of emotional stress in our neck muscles. If you think stress could be a reason behind the tension in your neck:
- Take some deep breaths.
- Slow down your pace.
- Consider a hiatus or retreat away from your daily life.
- Consider professional mental health therapy, and be sure to mention your neck tension to your therapist.
What Causes Knots in Neck? - Dehydration
Weirdly enough, dehydration can also contribute to knots in your neck. When dehydrated, muscles tend to get stiff and tight.
Drinking lots of water–and lessening your caffeine and alcohol intake are quick actions to remedy this.
What Causes Knots in Neck? - Overuse
Some people who play sports that require repeated, overhead motions are more susceptible to neck strain. [1]
This includes:
Tennis
Badminton
Volleyball
Baseball
Swimming
Our Best Neck Resources
At Back Muscle Solutions, we pride ourselves in offering the best resources for people experiencing muscle pain. We do this because we too have been there. And we believe that if you fix the muscles, you can fix the pain.
Apart from what we learned today about “how to get rid of knots in neck,” here are some of our other best resources about neck muscle health:
“Neck Workouts for a Thicker, Stronger Neck”
“Untangle that Knot! Learn About Trapezius Trigger Points”
“8 Trapezius Stretches to Loosen Tight Traps”
“7 Lower Trap Exercises for Better Posture, Strength, and Stability”
“How To Release Levator Scapulae Trigger Points”
“Quick Levator Scapulae Pain Relief With These 8 Stretches”
How to Get Rid of Knots in Neck: FAQs
How long does it take for a neck knot to go away?
It all depends on how severe the knot in your neck is. Some neck knots will go away instantly with self-massage. Others will require more attention–with professional massage, stretching, or heat and ice therapy.
How to release neck tension?
Some of the best ways to release neck tension include massage, stretching, strengthening, heat and ice therapy, and improved ergonomics.
How do you break a knot in your neck?
For particularly hard knots in your neck, I recommend using a massage device like a lacrosse ball.
What causes muscle knots in neck?
Muscle knots in the neck are caused by overuse, dehydration, poor posture, as well as stress and anxiety.
How to release a muscle knot?
Trigger point therapy is the best method to release a muscle knot.
How to get a kink out of your neck quickly?
To get a kink out of your neck quickly, I recommend trying the self-massage techniques in this article.
Sources:
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9679187/
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1356689X11000701
[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468781219302036
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S136085922100108X