Long hours at the office can lead to tension headaches, but some simple stretches can make a difference.

NECK STRETCH - To stretch tight neck muscles, firefighter Alisa Hecht holds onto the bottom of a chair with one hand while tilting the head to the opposite shoulder and holding. CNS Photo by Nadia Borowski Scott.

THE MOVES: A simple but effective neck stretch.

WORKS ON: Helps isolate the trapezius muscle that is often associated with tension headaches.

SETUP: Sit in a chair. Using the right hand, grab under the right edge of chair's seat.

STEPS: Relax the right shoulder and neck area and gently lean your torso to the left. Allow your right shoulder blade to be pulled down. Now, keep your head facing forward and tilt your head to the left (take the ear directly toward the shoulder). Hold each stretch 30 seconds. Repeat to the other side.

REPETITIONS: Use this stretch as a work break once or twice an hour.

PRECAUTIONS: Move slowly and stretch gently.

OPTIONS: Experiment with different head positions to optimize the stretch where you need it most.

Copley News Service