Father's Day Sale - $20 Off the Range - Use Code DAD20

Lowest Price Ever - $40 Off the Hip Hook - Limited Quantities - Use Code PRIME40

HSA/FSA Eligible - Buy Now/Pay Later - 60 Day Return
AlethaHorizontalBlackLogo.png

Shop our best sellers:

Slide image
Black full-body release system
Person using Range
Your routine

Neck, Shoulder
& Headache Routine

Designed by Christine Annie, MPT with 25 years as a physical therapist. This is the sequence I'd start you on if you walked into my clinic.

The order matters. Releasing muscle tension first is what makes stretching and strengthening actually work. Without it, you're building on a tight, misaligned foundation.

Steps 6
Time 18 min
Tools Range®
Level First-timer
Christine Annie, MPT — neck and shoulder routine
90 seconds · one tool · one muscle
The sequence

Release./Stretch./Strengthen.

01 Release First

Sustained pressure releases muscle tension that stretching can't touch.

02 Then Stretch

Stretching works far better and feels different after tension is released.

03 Then Strengthen

Strengthening locks in the results. Tight muscles are weak muscles. Release first.

Release. Realign. Reactivate. In that order.
The routine

Six steps,
in this exact order.

Follow sequentially. Each step sets up the one after it. Skipping ahead gives you temporary range of motion, not lasting change. Complete both sides before moving on.

01
Step 01 / Release

Release your pec minor

Requires: Range 90 seconds per side

Tight pecs pull your shoulders forward, which forces your neck muscles to overwork. Releasing the pec minor first takes the strain off your neck before you address the smaller muscles. This is where the upper body tension chain starts and where the fix has to start.

How to do it
  1. Line up the tips of the Range on the pec minor muscle in your chest.
  2. Lean into the Range against a wall to deliver a comfortable level of pressure.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
02
Step 02 / Stretch

Stretch your pecs

No tools needed 60 seconds each side

Now that you've released the tension, stretching actually works. You'll notice this stretch feels different after the release: deeper and less guarded. Stretching a tense muscle before releasing it gives you temporary range of motion. Stretching after release gives you lasting change.

How to do it
  1. Stand in a doorway with your forearm on the door frame at 90 degrees.
  2. Gently rotate your body away from your arm.
  3. Hold until you feel a stretch across your chest and front shoulder.
  4. Hold 60 seconds. Switch sides.
03
Step 03 / Release

Release your suboccipitals

Requires: Range 90 seconds

These small muscles at the base of your skull control 80% of your neck rotation. Trigger points here create referred pain, such as headaches that feel like they're in your head but are actually coming from your neck. Sustained pressure for 90 seconds minimum releases the holding pattern. The Range targets each muscle individually.

How to do it
  1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Position the Range underneath the base of your skull, using any set of tips.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
04
Step 04 / Strengthen

Chin tucks

No tools needed 2 sets of 10

Chin tucks retrain the deep cervical flexors, the muscles that hold your head in proper alignment over your spine. After releasing the suboccipitals, these muscles can actually activate. This is the strengthening component for your neck: simple, essential, and frequently skipped.

How to do it
  1. Sit up tall and place your fingers on your chin as a guide.
  2. Let your chin drift forward slowly.
  3. Bring your head back to neutral and tuck the chin gently.
  4. Hold the chin tuck position for 2 seconds on each rep.
05
Step 05 / Release

Release your upper traps

Requires: Range 90 seconds per side

Your upper traps have been compensating for tight pecs and suboccipitals, working overtime to stabilize a head that's been pulled forward. Releasing them is the final step in the tension chain. By the time you reach this step, you've already addressed the muscles driving the compensation, so this release holds.

How to do it
  1. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Position the Range between your upper traps and a wall, using any set of tips.
  3. Maintain consistent pressure for 90 seconds.
  4. Remember to relax and take slow, controlled breaths.
06
Step 06 / Strengthen

Shoulder circles

No tools needed 10 forward, 10 backward

This reintegrates shoulder mobility after releasing the muscles that have been restricting it. Slow, full-range circles lubricate the joint and reinforce the new range of motion you've just created.

How to do it
  1. Stand tall. Lift both shoulders up toward your ears.
  2. Roll them back and down in a full circle.
  3. Slow and controlled. This is a movement reset, not a warm-up.
  4. Complete 10 circles forward, then 10 in reverse.
Safety notes

Before you begin.

Muscle release is a clinical practice. A few principles keep it effective and safe.

Start gentle

More pressure is not more effective. Start light and build over time. You control the depth.

What's normal

Tenderness, pressure, warmth, twitching, or a "hurts so good" feeling are all normal with muscle release.

Stop if

You feel numbness, tingling, burning, or throbbing. Move the tool to a different spot. These sensations can mean you're near a nerve or blood vessel.

If you're prone to migraines

Ice the muscles you just released for 5–10 minutes after the session. This helps calm the tissues after trigger point release.

Consult your provider

If you have a medical condition or recent surgery, consult your healthcare provider before using these tools. See full safety information →

Tools

Tools used in this routine.

Used in Steps 01, 03 & 05

Range

Designed to reach the pec minor, suboccipitals, and upper traps — the muscles driving most neck, shoulder, and headache patterns.

Learn more
Range — muscle release tool for neck, shoulder, and headache patterns
Companion app

Never done this before?

The companion app walks you through exact placement for every step, with video, timing guidance, and routines built for your pattern.

Download on the App Store
Aletha companion app on iPhone

Have questions about this routine or these tools?

Our team of PTs and movement specialists can help. Email us → hello@alethahealth.com