Neck pain.

[Smitty]

Say guys, is having your neck too straight bad for it? After I wake up, after a while or so, I try to correct my posture, and my neck hurts for the rest of the day. Is it that I'm making my neck too straight or could it be something else?

I never really had this problem. It might be the bridges I've been doing, too.

Your thoughts?

[Sohan]

Your neck has a natural curvature to it, so it will never be "straight", and overcorrecting it may cause some pain. Also, if you have had bad posture and are trying to correct it too quickly, you may strain the muscles supporting your neck which can also cause discomfort.

And yes, bridges can cause pain if done incorrectly. They're a risky exercise even if performed the way they are intended. Get a good grappling coach to show you the correct form if you haven't already, and don't forget to do some front plate raises for the sternocleidomastoid and some shrugs to maintain muscle balance.

With respect,

Sohan

[Smitty]

Your neck has a natural curvature to it, so it will never be "straight", and overcorrecting it may cause some pain. Also, if you have had bad posture and are trying to correct it too quickly, you may strain the muscles supporting your neck which can also cause discomfort.

And yes, bridges can cause pain if done incorrectly. They're a risky exercise even if performed the way they are intended. Get a good grappling coach to show you the correct form if you haven't already, and don't forget to do some front plate raises for the sternocleidomastoid and some shrugs to maintain muscle balance.

With respect,

Sohan

I used to have bad posture, and I am trying to correct it, I just never really noticed before recently. Will it stop hurting eventually? Or does it just get worse?

[Sohan]

It's hard to say, Smitty, without seeing you. If this has been bothering you a while, I'd see a sports med physician for a checkup. In the meantime, I'd stop the posture corrections for a couple days to let whatever inflammation you have to subside, then start back again a little less aggressively. Use some antiinflammatories and ice if necessary and avoid anything that causes discomfort.

A good way to improve your posture is sitting crosslegged on a cushion as if you were meditating. Pretend your head is attached by a string to the ceiling that is pulling it up. Keep your chin down and pulled in and keep your chest out. Seek a "flat back" position and maintain it while breathing slowly and controlled for about ten minutes. Do this once per day.

Cut out the bridges for now. And another thing, when you start back on the posture corrections, focus on them more later in the day when your muscles are warmer and the joints better lubricated--you'll likely get better results.

With respect,

Sohan

[Aodhan]

Say guys, is having your neck too straight bad for it? After I wake up, after a while or so, I try to correct my posture, and my neck hurts for the rest of the day. Is it that I'm making my neck too straight or could it be something else?

I never really had this problem. It might be the bridges I've been doing, too.

Your thoughts?

Not sure what you mean by "correct your posture", but if you are trying to stretch out really stiff muscles that aren't very warmed up you can easily tear fibers.

What kind of pillow do you sleep on? Do you move much at night? If you tend not to move for long periods of time, you could wake up with some really tight muscles that take a long time to loosen up.

Aodhan

[Smitty]

Well, after stopping trying to correct my posture (I felt my curvative in the neck was too far forward) the pain is somewhat relieved. But something at the base of my neck still doesn't feel right.

First thing tuesday, I'm off to a doctor.