Do you notice that you often get pain in your neck when you do abdominal exercises? There can be several causes for this… We have listed the three most common causes for you, including the solutions to get rid of your neck pain and to continue to train your abdominal muscles. Are you reading along?
Read also :'This is the effect of a wrong posture on your body'
If we use one joint to its limits, another, nearby joint will take over. This applies to your entire body, but often occurs during exercises like crunches. When you can't tighten your spine any further, whether it's because of how far your spine bends or because your abs are tired, we often use our neck muscles to move further. In other words, your neck compensates for your abs to get your head further off the ground.
The solution :Keep your chin on your chest to avoid activating your neck muscles. This also means that your neck muscles have to work less hard to keep your spine in line, so that there is less tension on it. You will also now have to use your straight and oblique abs more during the exercise, which will make it more effective. So win-win!
You can often get neck complaints due to incorrect posture. During crunches and sit-ups, many people lift their bodies with the front part of their spine, leading their neck. Although you may already know this, you probably did not know that neck complaints are also often caused by other abdominal exercises, such as a plank. Many people hold up their heads to look around or hang their heads. Both scenarios mean that your neck muscles have to work and that is not the intention!
The solution :For crunches and sit-ups, keep your hands behind your head with your fingertips behind your ears. The trick is to bear the weight of your head without pulling it with your hands. So focus on a gentle touch and pull yourself up from your core. With a plank, you want to keep your spine as neutral as possible. So keep your head in line with your torso and your legs during your plank to prevent neck complaints.
When you stand, gravity keeps your head on top of your neck. During exercises like the Russian twist, a V-up or side plank, gravity does the opposite:it pushes your head out of alignment with the rest of your body. It doesn't help that our heads are fairly heavy and you feel that weight completely during exercise. When your head is not straight on your neck, extra pressure and weight is placed on your spine. Therefore, it is important to keep your head in line with your body while doing abdominal exercises to avoid pain and discomfort.
The solution :Do you have permanent neck complaints? Replace your abdominal exercises with standing exercises. In these poses, your neck doesn't have to fight gravity and your neck muscles don't have to work as hard. Think, for example, of exercises with a medicine ball or weights.
