Abdominal crunches are one of the most popular “ab exercises” around.
You start by lying on your back – typically hands behind your head and knees bent – then lift your head and chest off the floor – “crunching” your upper body into a C-shaped curve.
Over the years, many healthcare and fitness professionals have dismissed this exercise entirely claiming its ineffectiveness for working the core. While I agree that it shouldn’t be the only core exercise you do – the abdominal crunch does have its place…
When done correctly, mastering this move can help you get up from the floor, and sit up out of bed with more ease and less risk of injury.
And of course, you see this move a lot in exercise classes, so it’s important to know how to do this move correctly without hurting your neck.
If you’re feeling pain in your neck while doing crunches – here are the biggest problems I see – and what you can do:
1. You’re not using your abs.
This sounds pretty obvious, right? Of course you use your abs when you crunch. Anatomically-speaking – it would be impossible for you to perform this move without some form of engagement with your abs. But many people don’t engage their abs enough – or in the right way. And this can result in neck pain.
Here’s what happens.
If you don’t engage your abs enough or in the right way during a crunch – your neck will often kick in to try and help. Eventually your neck gets sore from this because your neck muscles aren’t designed to be the primary mover during a crunch.
One easy tip to try next time you do a crunch is to make sure you inhale deeply – and then exhale as you begin to crunch. At the same time, check in with your neck. Make sure you can easily turn and wiggle it side to side. If that is challenging – then you are likely using your neck to help you crunch and your abdominal engagement could use some work.
2. Your neck is in the wrong position.
When you’re doing an abdominal crunch your neck position is critical. There is an illusion that your neck moves during the crunch but it should actually stay pretty stationary.
The ideal position for your neck is to begin with a slight nod of the chin (like you’re nodding “yes”) and then keep it there. The rest of the curling motion will come from contracting your abdominals to move your trunk. As you curl up, you want to keep a nice C-shaped curve of your upper body – and keep a tennis ball’s distance between your chin and chest.
Most people either curl their neck too much, or not enough.
If your chin is touching your chest you’re curled too much – and you’ll experience strain behind your neck. And if you keep your neck too straight you’ll experience strain in the front of your neck. Another common mistake with neck positioning during a crunch is jutting your head forward. This will put strain in your upper neck right behind your head. While any of these positions will cause temporary discomfort in your neck – they could lead to more long-standing problems down the line if not corrected.
3. You have an underlying neck problem.
Sometimes you will get all of the above right – and still have neck pain when you perform an abdominal crunch. This could be a sign that you have an underlying neck problem – and doing a lot of crunches has just exposed it.
Let me explain.
Let’s say you have a small bulging disc in your neck that you weren’t aware of, or you thought was “fixed”. The curled position of your neck during a crunch can exacerbate this problem – even if you are using your abs correctly and following every tip I just mentioned above.
Pay attention to what you feel during and after performing an abdominal crunch.
If you notice pain that shoots into your shoulder blade, or any numbness or tingling down your arm (especially if past your elbow) – these are clues you could have an underlying neck problem that is being aggravated by crunching. You might experience these symptoms during your crunches, or even up to several hours after. Either way, symptoms like this could be a sign there is more to your neck pain than simply incorrect crunch-technique or weakness in your abs. If something like this is happening – it’s worth talking to an expert about this before it gets worse.
If you’re local to the DMV area – talk to an expert at my clinic – we can help you figure out what’s really going on.
If you’re experiencing neck pain during abdominal crunches – hopefully these tips give you a better understanding why – but most importantly – please know this is a very common issue and you’re not alone.
We actually talk quite often about the relationship between your abdominals and your neck – and teach you how to “crunch” safely and correctly with a lot of our back pain patients
If you’ve been suffering from chronic neck pain/stiffness or a pinched nerve in your neck or back pain when doing abdominal strengthening and can’t seem to figure this one out with the above tips…Talk to a Specialist at my Clinic!
Request a Free Discovery Session with a specialist at my clinic. But please don’t wait. We are getting very busy in the clinic and that means we’re about to be operating on a very strict wait list. CLICK HERE now to get our on schedule before you can’t – serious inquiries only please.
Trupti graduated with a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from UNC- Chapel Hill in 2001. She has furthered her studies with numerous post-graduate courses focusing on the Neck, shoulder, knee, and back, with a strong emphasis in manual therapy. Recently completed courses in Maitland-Australian Physiotherapy Seminars (Levels 1- 5), has afforded her an excellent way to relieve pain and help people get moving, active and healthy quickly and effectively.
With 20+ years of experience in Physical Therapy, Trupti has practiced in various orthopedic and sports focused clinical settings, in both the Raleigh-Durham, NC and DC regions. She has been Director of multiple Physical therapy Clinics in DC and also worked with some renowned specialists at Georgetown University Hospital in DC. During her years of service, Trupti has had the privilege of caring for a wide variety of clients: from school-aged children to retirees; from homemakers to business professionals; from weekend warriors to professional athletes.
Trupti is an avid fan of the outdoors, art, traveling and of course the Tar Heels. She enjoys spending time with her niece and nephew.
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