How to Fix a Pinched Nerve in Your Neck & Shoulder Blade | Nerve Flossing | Dr. Jon Saunders

Summary

Dr. Jon Saunders demonstrates a neck stretch and three nerve-gliding exercises for people with neck-related pain that travels to the shoulder blade, arm, or hand. An X-ray or MRI may identify the affected nerve root, and pain location can also offer clues. If the affected side is the left, mirror the right-sided examples shown.

Strategies and exercises

• Neck-opening stretch: Sit and hold the chair on the affected side, gently drawing that shoulder down. Use the other hand to guide your head away from that side. Adjust your head position to find a comfortable stretch and hold for 30–60 seconds. If you have a forward-head posture, first draw your shoulder back and tuck your chin. Saunders suggests doing this stretch up to three times daily.
• Nerve glides (flossing): Saunders demonstrates movements for the median, radial, and ulnar nerves. Keep the shoulder lowered and move the head and arm as shown, gently gliding the nerve rather than forcing a stretch. He recommends starting with 10–12 repetitions, 2–3 sets, and spending no more than 3–5 minutes per day on the glides.
  • Median nerve: Extend the arm slightly out to the side, rotate the hand back with the palm facing outward, and coordinate the movement with a gentle head tilt toward and away from the arm.
  • Radial nerve: Lower the arm, keep the shoulder depressed, and extend the hand back. Gently move the arm and head through the gliding motion.
  • Ulnar nerve: Bring the hand up near the ear as if holding a tray, then move between that position and neutral. The head can tilt gently toward and away from the arm.
• Monitor your response: Mild tension or some familiar tingling may occur, but don’t push through symptoms that keep worsening. Saunders advises contacting a doctor if pain, numbness, or tingling continues to increase.
• Look for centralization: Saunders describes pain moving back toward the spine as a sign the exercises may be helping.

Presenter and source: Dr. Jon Saunders, the video’s presenter and source of the demonstrations.