Do you feel more pain in your neck than any other body part after exercise or a long day working in the yard?
A common pattern I see in my restorative movement therapy practice is neck tension with physical exertion.
During workout routines, yard work, or any other host of physical activities, some individuals will encounter the all-too-familiar sensation of tightness in the upper back and neck.
We all know we need to maintain an active lifestyle to promote health and graceful aging.
Yet, it’s no secret the muscle tension, joint pains, and body aches often accompanying physical exertion can be downright discouraging.
So, what do you do when doing the right thing—staying active—leaves you feeling less than your best?
You Body’s Adaptive Strategies
The body will beg, borrow, and steal from other areas to accomplish the task set before it.
It doesn’t care if the strategy is less than perfect, as it has a job to do.
This is actually normal and an important part of our remarkable design; there are occasions when we need to undertake tasks that might slightly surpass our current capabilities.
However, compounded over time and relied on daily, this can result in considerable muscle tension, injury vulnerabilities, and sometimes, joint changes we blame on age.
Utilizing restorative movement therapy in the prevention and recovery from these compensation patterns has profound effects with the clients I work with who experience neck pain with exercise.
They gain increased confidence in their bodies, recover from injuries quickly, and enjoy more vibrant, pain-free movement experiences, whether in the gym or throughout their daily lives.
While an article can never substitute for an in-person evaluation and functional assessment, I’ll provide some clues below to help you recognize if the neck tension you’re facing may be connected to core issues, and some tweaks to try to alleviate any annoying symptoms:
Problem #1: Extending your head backward
It’s very common for the muscles on the back of the neck to engage when attempting any type of movement requiring core control.
Whether during a targeted abdominal exercise in the gym, or even simply bending forward to pick up a pair of socks, this neurological response aims to provide spinal stability as a precaution against potential injury and to help in completing the intended task.
This is extremely common in people who’ve ever had whiplash injuries or abdominal surgeries, including C-sections.
While you might believe you’re effectively utilizing your body, in reality, you could be placing undue strain on your neck, which can lead to tension, discomfort, and limitations in your range of motion.
Fix It: You’re body awareness needs attention
Lengthen through the back of your neck and tuck your chin like you’re holding an orange without your hands. Avoid pulling on your neck to hoist your head up in abdominal exercises.
If you can’t maintain a long neck, tucked chin during exercises, your programming may need to be adjusted to avoid your “cheats”.
Problem #2: You hold your breath
I often come across numerous misconceptions regarding the true nature of the core.
Unless individuals have sought professional guidance within the rehab community, it’s common to find a lack of understanding among gym-goers and the general population on this subject.
It’s crucial to dispel the myth that the core is solely about performing crunches and sit-ups, or that having a flat belly or a set of six-pack abs as indications of a well-functioning core.
5-Second Anatomy Lesson: the core is all about having the ability to create and sustain intra-abdominal pressure while in motion and when carrying loads.
It’s all about breath, baby!
Your respiratory diaphragm muscle is the principal star of this whole gig.
When you go to move, your diaphragm ideally contracts and pushes down into the abdomen to establish a sense of stiffness that is protective to your spine and joints.
One of the most tell-tale signs this system is on struggling is if you find yourself holding your breath during moments of exertion (even without GymBro heavy metal)
Ironically, this is perhaps one of the most frequently overlooked signs of a weakened core.
Fix It: Slow down or lighten up
The era of no pain, no gain is over (phew; about time!)
It’s not just about how many sets of reps you do, but also about your neurology.
Can you control that rep? Many strength and conditioning coaches will tout if you hold your breath, you can’t count the rep, sets be damned.
Slow down or lighten up. Keep a long spine. If those things don’t work, you may need to change the routine to something more doable and work back up.
Problem #3: You get sore, but not stronger
Let’s be real, the goal is to make gains not ramp up neck pain after exercise.
You want to measure you are getting better with your reps, which of course, translates to moving and feeling better in the real world after changing out of the Lululemons.
If you’ve been regularly engaging in physical activities and find yourself consistently experiencing soreness without a corresponding increase in strength, it’s a clear signal it’s time to make some changes.
Continuing with a regimen not yielding desired outcomes is counterproductive and can potentially lead to tension, injury, not to mention frustration and demotivation.
It’s important to understand that the core is in constant action, every moment of the day, always engaged to meet the body’s various demands as it moves and plays through life.
Whether you’re running, jumping, lugging a heavy load of groceries, turning in bed, or rising from a chair, the remarkable core design is ever-present to support and power your movements.
Your core is robust in its abilities but at times, you may need to relearn how it works.
It’s pretty well established how decades of sitting, beginning in kindergarten, leads to a steady and predictable decrease in our ability to effectively use our core system.
Fix It: It may be time to work with a professional to learn how to use this incredible area of the body to get stronger and go faster, with more confidence, less pain, and injury vulnerability.
Recognizing the Signs of Core Dysfunction
Core dysfunction is rarely ever something you can plank your way out of.
It’s possible to get some DIY traction if you are a great self-starter and independent learner; core function is a rabbit hole of functional anatomy!
Drawing from my 25 years in the manual and movement therapy field, working with individuals across a wide spectrum of physical abilities, I’ve observed how pursuing these endeavors without professional guidance often results in increased frustration and the development of increased physical limitations over time.
Neck pain with exercise is a real thing, and not something you want to ignore.
Schedule an appointment today, and we can initiate an in-person evaluation and functional assessment, paving the way for an active, pain-free, and improved movement experience.
