Neck-Pain

My Neck Hurts When I Do Core Exercises

Many people suffer from neck pain, especially when performing core exercises such as sit ups and crunches.

There are a few reasons why you may be experiencing neck pain. The first is you may have lost your curve in your neck from poor posture or your neck muscles have just never been strengthened. If you think about it, what do you do in your normal activity to strengthen your neck. Maybe sitting up once or twice out of bed, which is not enough to strengthen those muscles. Also, your neck is made up of tiny shoestring muscles that weave up through the neck and it is important that those are strong as well. Below is a video of an excellent neck exercise that you can do every other day to begin strengthening those muscles.

Improper breathing can actually effect the neck and head. When performing core exercises be sure to follow regular breathing patterns. Not breathing during exercise can increase intrathecal and blood pressure causing unnecessary head and neck pain.

Another reason could be movement compensation. Some individuals will allow the head and neck to jut forward when performing core exercises. This is a common movement compensation and often leads to head and neck pain. A good tip is to keep your ears directly in line with your shoulders. Always seek physician consultation if pain does not subside.