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Self-Myofascial Release Techniques for Neck and Shoulders

November 16th, 2024
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By Anne Asher, CPT | Updated on June 18, 2024

Self-myofascial release (SMR) is a technique used to manipulate the muscles used during an exercise program or for physical therapy reasons. It typically involves the use of foam rollers, balls, or other tools to help boost sports performance, reduce pain, or improve general fitness.

The massage techniques are generally considered safe for most people, even though some pain can occur with SMR. However, there is limited evidence to support the benefits of SMR or confirm that it’s an effective practice.

This article explains self-myofascial release for the neck and shoulders, some of the specific ways it can be used, and research findings about SMR.

How Self-Myofascial Release Works

Self-myofascial release techniques are used to improve flexibility in muscles and range of motion. Instead of having a therapist provide massage or other myofascial manipulation, a person does it themselves while using rollers, balls, or other tools.

Fascia is a net-like covering that’s woven into and surrounds nearly every one of your body’s structures, from bones and muscles to organs and glands. Myofascia refers to muscle-related fascia, including tissue that can be affected by scarring.

Many people claim SMR practices can relieve pain, improve posture, and help to develop more mobility. Self-myofascial release is a common practice among athletes but it’s also used:

  • To boost quality of life factors in people diagnosed with fibromyalgia
  • To treat carpal tunnel syndrome, a repetitive motion injury to the hands
  • As part of a multiprong approach to relieve chronic pelvic pain in females
  • To limit pain and injury in specific occupations, including United States Navy flight crews

Self-myofascial release can be used to target specific areas of the body. For example, the Navy helicopter crews often report neck and back pain. When volunteers from two MH-60R squadrons compared using the stretching techniques with those who didn’t, results suggested that a simple routine of five to seven minutes was safe and offered benefits.

Self-Myofascial Release Exercises for Head and Neck

Like the U.S. Navy flight crews, many people experience pain in their head, neck, and shoulders. The following exercises use self-myofascial release techniques to improve flexibility and reduce symptoms.

SMR for Rhomboid Muscles

Your rhomboids connect your shoulder blade to your spine and play a role in kyphosis (rounded upper back). Sometimes these muscles get tight because they are weak, or because of muscle imbalances around the joints that work the shoulder, neck, arm, and head, or even for both reasons.

Tight rhomboid muscles can change the way your shoulder blades rest on your upper back, which in turn may lead to pain and limited shoulder mobility. This also can lead to rotator cuff tendon injury.

The rhomboids pair with the levator scapula muscle to support posture, so when you do SMR on your rhomboids, you’ll likely indirectly affect this muscle as well. You can use either a foam roller or a tennis ball.

If you’re using a foam roller:

  • Lie down on the roller, which should be placed lengthwise under your spine.
  • Cross your arms in front, hooking them loosely at the elbows, so that each hand touches the opposite shoulder. This position helps move the shoulder blade out, away from the spine.
  • Relax and breathe for a few minutes.
  • Add some movement to the initial set up by rolling on the foam roller. Start at the inside edge of one shoulder blade and roll towards your spine and then back again. Keep breathing throughout the movement.
  • After about 15 to 30 seconds of rolling, switch sides.

For more specific targeting of the rhomboid muscles, try using a tennis ball instead of a foam roller.

Tennis Balls for Your Sub-Occipital Muscles

Many people have what is known as forward head posture. Forward head posture can be due to long hours sitting at the computer and especially interacting with the screen. It can also come about from sedentary occupations such as truck driving.

More causes exist, for example, routinely adjusting your head and neck to accommodate being extra tall. Over time, the position of the head migrates forward. This posture change often forms in response to kyphosis and upper back rounding.

Even a small shift forward of your head from your neck can stress muscles and other soft tissues. To address this, you might consider SMR with tennis balls. Here’s what to do:

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
  • Place your arms either by your side or crossed in front of you as you did with the rhomboid exercise. Let your comfort be your guide when deciding on a position for your arms.
  • Take a breath or two, relax, and settle into the floor.
  • Place a tennis ball at the bone located at the bottom of your skull in back (occipital bone). Find the “point” where you can feel changes in the soft tissue under the ball, but where it’s not too much. This is where the sub-occipital muscles attach.
  • Spend a few moments relaxing and breathing with the tennis ball in that spot.
  • Repeat on the other side.

Another muscle that attaches to the bottom of the skull is the semispinalis capitus. This muscle helps keep a normal cervical curve intact and, like the sub-occipitals, helps to extend your head back. It also is responsible for tilting your head to the side.

Making Your Own SMR Device

You can make your own self-myofascial release tools. Try putting two tennis balls into a sock, and position that beneath the bottom of your skull, with one tennis ball on either side of your neck. It may offer a more stable experience overall, which may help further relax the targeted muscles.

Improve Your Thoracic Spine Mobility With SMR

The thoracic spine, with connection points to your ribs, is in a good position to provide support for your neck, shoulder girdle, and the weight of your head. This position also enables the upper back to assist with injury prevention or management.

Tight muscles in your thoracic spine limit a number of motions, namely your ability to twist, tilt, flex, and extend. Foam rolling is a particularly good SMR tool for mitigating tension in the muscles that normally power those movements.

  • Lie on your back, with the foam roller positioned crosswise and horizontally at the level of the bottom tips of your shoulder blades.
  • Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
  • Take some deep breaths and relax.

While SMR is very popular in both the fitness world and in therapy circles, it may not be a safe approach for some people with recent injuries or an underlying health condition.

Summary

Research studies report mixed results on the benefits of self-myofascial release, and there’s more to be learned about trigger points, SMR devices, or even other contributing factors like hydration.

If you want to try SMR to relieve head, neck, and shoulder pain, talk to your healthcare provider or a physical therapist about the safety and potential benefits of self-myofascial release in your situation.

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