Experience Neck Strain After a Workout? Try This

Neck strain after a workout is fairly common, and though bad form plays a job (more on that later), it’s not as much what you’re doing on the gym, as what you’re doing in your day-to-day life that’s at the foundation of your pain, says Sherry McLaughlin, physical therapist and founding father of the Michigan Institute for Human Performance (MIHP) in Troy, Michigan.

McLaughlin says to know neck strain, you first need to know the concept of short and tight muscles versus long and weak muscles. “Every muscle within the body has an antagonist, a muscle that does the alternative motion. If a muscle is brief and tight, the antagonist becomes long and weak,” she says. “Consider the everyday sitting posture where someone is slouched. On this position, the pinnacle moves forward, and as a way to engage the world with level eyeballs, your neck will naturally extend.”

Eventually, that variety of posture makes the muscles at the back of your neck short and tight, and those within the front of your neck long and weak. In the event you do a crunch or one other exercise that requires lying in your back, those muscles within the front of your neck are those that must work to carry your neck up. “In the event that they are on this weakened position, then your neck will are likely to feel strained and at risk of injury,” says McLaughlin.

Not taking time to rest your muscles and improper form may result in neck strain, says Janine Trembicki, certified ACE personal trainer and owner at J Ashley Fitness, in Westport, Connecticut. “From my training, the neck strain I see most is from overuse of the neck and shoulder muscles,” she says. “Other reasons might be shoulder tension while performing exercises and never keeping you head neutral along with your spine.”

Fixing that strain in your neck

To diminish neck strain after a workout (or generally), you must transcend the neck itself, says McLaughlin. “The most effective strategy to fix neck strain is to repair the posture of the spine below it,” she says. “The straighter your middle back is, the more naturally your head will sit in your shoulders without the front neck muscles being in a protracted, weak position. That is achieved by stretching your chest muscles and strengthening your upper back muscles” with exercises like rows and reverse flies.

Depending on the workout, there are specific techniques that help reduce neck strain. For instance, McLaughlin recommends gently tucking your chin in and setting your head on top of your shoulders prior to doing any heavy weightlifting. In the event you’re doing core work, Trembicki says to avoid pulling in your neck, which reduces muscle load in your core and increases it within the neck.

“It is usually vital in Pilates, yoga, and through core exercises to guard your neck, take breaks, and be certain your neck is in keeping with your spine,” says Trembicki. “When lifting weights, you desire to be certain you aren’t holding tension in your shoulders or neck when performing the moves. In cardio exercises, similar to spin, you desire to keep your alignment of the neck and spine to stop these injuries.”

And don’t forget that warming up before a workout reduces the chance of muscle strain throughout the body. “A solid warm-up is so vital before any type of exercise,” says Trembicki. “Prime the muscles in order that they are ready for the work they’re about to tackle.”

In the event you do experience neck strain, McLaughlin says energetic interventions that involve pectoral stretching and thoracic spine [i.e. mid-back] mobility can provide relief, in addition to prevent neck strain when done frequently. And whether you’re a novice or fitness buff, should you just can’t kick the pains in your neck, consider working with a trainer, coach, or physical therapist.

“My biggest tip for reducing neck strain, in whatever type of exercise you like, could be to have someone guide you during your workout to be certain you’re performing the exercises with correct form,” says Trembicki. “Once you’ve the shape down, you then can do them on your individual.”

3 moves to assist with neck strain after a workout, courtesy of the MIHP Wipe Out Pain Series

1. Wall Wash

Stand six inches from a wall, facing it, with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed straight ahead. Place your hands on the wall. Slide your right hand up the wall directly over your head as you shift your weight to your right leg. It’s best to feel a stretch in your right side. Return to the starting position and repeat in your left side. Alternate right and left for 2 sets of 12 repetitions.

2. Sidelying Angel

Lie in your right side and bend your hips and knees at a 90-degree angle. Hold your knees together along with your right hand, and let your left shoulder blade drop toward the ground along with your arm outstretched. Slowly move your left arm in an arc up toward your head after which down by your side. Repeat several times on all sides.

3. STEMs

Start sitting on the front fringe of a chair along with your back straight and chest up tall. Calmly cross your arms in front by grabbing the alternative elbow, then do the next six times each: Lift your arms over your head after which lower back them down. Lift your arms over your head and bend back and forth. Lift your arms over your head and rotate your torso to the fitting after which to the left.