Back Pain & Neck Pain Stretches on Yoga Ball

A yoga ball provides fun ways to stretch and exercise for relief from back pain, neck pain and shoulder pain.  Last week I was talking with two patients, a mother and her grown daughter.  I have been treating both for back pain, neck pain and shoulder issues and often urged them to do this this stretch as often as possible: 1) Llie on your bed on your back and let your head hang off the edge.  2) Keep your neck supported by the edge of the bed, raise your arms overhead and let them fall back by your head.  3) It is also helpful to do this with your elbows bent and held out to the sides (sometimes called cactus pose in yoga).  This is very effective in counteracting a day hunched over a desk or at a computer.  But really, who wants to run to the bedroom everytime you need a stretch?  A fun alternative is a yoga ball.  They come in 3 sizes:  55, 65, & 75 cm.  I would suggest if you are close to 5 ft. go with the smallest,  5.5 ft go with medium, and 6 ft go with the large.  There are lots of other stretches and exercises you can do with a yoga ball – anybody have any favorites?