Upper Back Exercise and Neck Pain Prevention Too
Western boxers and students of many martial arts are often taught to hunch their shoulders and lower their head to protect their neck. Box-aerobics students (and teachers) also often jut their head forward thinking it looks tough, or more authentic. It doesn't protect the neck as hoped, and conversely produces neck and shoulder problems, some immediately, others over time. It also reduces effectiveness of the punching exercise, and to people who know martial arts, it doesn't look tough, it looks weak.
Look at the photo at left. The student on the right is holding his head severely forward (orange arrow). The teacher at right in the foreground is holding his neck and head properly, relaxed and upright (white arrow). The teacher and student in the background also are holding their neck in position that is healthy for the neck and shoulder, and makes punching more effective.
What are some of the problems of forward head angle and hunched shoulder?
- Keeping your head forward brings it closer to your opponent, easier to hit.
- In case of a head strike, a tilted angle of the neck to the brain and skull is more likely to result in brain injury.
- Hunching the shoulder can injure the neck and shoulder muscles
- Hunching results in tight, aching neck and shoulders.
- When you keep your head and shoulders forward, it rotates the shoulder bone forward. When you raise your arm with your neck forward, the soft tissue of the rotator cuff gets pinched between the arm bone and the shoulder bone. Eventually the bones can saw away at the rotator cuff muscles trapped between them, enough to get a tear.
- The same pinching between shoulder and arm bone can compress the nerve(s) that go down your arm, resulting in tingling, pain, numbness, weakness.
All the above problems can easily stop and reverse when you stop the cause - the forward head angle and hunched shoulder. Start with the post Fixing Upper Back and Neck Pain.
The muscles you use to hold your head and neck upright instead of forward are your upper back and posterior shoulder muscles. It is a free upper back and posterior deltoid and shoulder workout by standing relaxed but straight, and exercising that way too.
When you watch movies of Mohammed Ali fighting, watch for his healthy, straight, graceful neck positioning. For doing martial arts and boxing aerobics, you can protect your chin and brace your neck without hunching and injuring your neck and shoulder. For exercise classes and just moving around the house you get more upper back exercise and stop injuring your neck and shoulder all at the same time by using your muscles to hold yourself upright instead of sagging. Stop neck injury from exercise. Exercise is supposed to be healthy.
More From Fitness Fixer:
- Is Bad Martial Arts Good Exercise?
- Throw a Stronger Punch (or Push a Car or Stroller) Using This Back Pain Reduction Technique
- Improve Stretch and Strength With Better Kicking
- Muay Thai in Her 90's
- Muay Thai Monks on Horseback
- Rocky Movie Computer Fight Simulation
- Rocky IV and Head Injury
- 2006 Black Belt Hall of Fame - Black Belts and Black Tie
- 2006 International Martial Arts Association Weekend
- 2007 Black Belt Hall of Fame
Read and contribute your own success stories of these methods. Before asking questions, see if your answers are already here - click labels under posts, links in posts, archives at right, and the Fitness Fixer Index. For answers to personal medical questions - Replies to Medical Questions.
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Labels: fix pain, injury, martial arts, neck, partner exercise, posture, shoulder, spirit, upper back
14 Comments:
At Friday, January 19, 2007 9:41:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
Dr. Jolie,
I have developed a severe forward head posture. I had a very bad whiplash accident 14 years ago but over the past three years my posture *drastically* changed into a classic upper crossed syndrome. Then came the chronic pain.
I have constant, extreme pain from my levator scapulae, which at rest are extremely short, rotating my entire shoulder girdle outwards and up towards my ears. I cannot work, drive or shop any more due to chonic pain.
My upper 4 cervical facets are very sore. My Drs want to do facet injections.
Which do you think comes first? Whiplash induced facet damage resulting in muscle guarding or poor posture leading to shortened and weak muscles, which then in turn aggravate their attachments to the spine?
I've ordered your book. Any info appreciated!
-Kate
At Sunday, January 21, 2007 11:30:00 PM,
Healthline said…
Hi Kate, Sorry you’re suffering. Don’t worry, this is easy to fix. Blogger was down when I tried to post for two days. Sorry for the delay answering.
1. You won’t likely need injections – they don’t stop the source of the pain. We will address the source of the pain, and so, stop the pain, quickly and easily.
2. “Upper crossed syndrome” is a fancy name for holding your head and neck and shoulders forward. It makes the muscles you describe in the back ache terribly. People get frightening pain and even numbness because they are squashing things inside by jutting their head forward instead of giving their neck and shoulder room.
3. Your muscles in front get so short and tight it is hard to straighten out without more pain. It is a vicious cycle. Which came first? Usually the forward head predisposes to these things, but it doesn’t matter to fixing it which is first.
4. The facet pain comes from craning your neck – jutting the chin forward to lift your head instead of keeping the chin in and straightening your upper back. Shots don’t stop the craning which is causing the compression back there. Here is what to do to address all these things at once:
- Read the post: Breasts Causing Upper Back Pain is a Myth.
- Then read, Fixing Upper Back and Neck Pain.
- Stop doing
The Stretch You Need The Least.
- Check your upper body tightness with
Thumbs Can Show Tightness That Leads to Upper Back Pain.
and Common Exercises Teach Bad Bending.
- See how many times a day you may be undoing your efforts with
Are You Making Your Exercise Unhealthy? and How Often Should You Be Healthy?
Start with this and keep reading the posts to see how it all fits together so easily. None of the stretches or exercises to fix this should hurt. Keep me posted. Don’t worry! We will help.
At Monday, January 22, 2007 12:46:00 AM,
Healthline said…
Reply #2 - The book will tell even more. Start with the fun and free posts until the book arrives. You should notice the pain lessening as soon as you start the simple, healthy things listed in the above comment reply.
At Monday, January 22, 2007 1:10:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
Thanks, Dr. Jolie,
I will continue with my stretches and watch my posture. I am trying to stay away from the facet injections and "prolotherapy" for this (hopefully) mechanical pain.
-Kate
At Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:01:00 AM,
Healthline said…
Kate, this should work as soon as you try it. If it doesn't, check to make sure you're trying things as intended.
Also make sure you do not undo your efforts by craning your neck during the day. Don't let your chin come forward when:
- drinking
- looking up
- reaching up
instead, keep chin in and get the lift from the upper body, not the back of your neck (or lower back).
and do not undo your neck healing with the usual exercises and stretches that push and pull the neck forward:
- crunches
- shoulder stands (also the "plow" the "rabbit" and similar yoga moves)
- bending forward from a sit or over from a stand to stretch hamstrings. There are better ways - described early in this blog.
These are healthy positioning for everyone. Not just a restrictive regime for the injured.
Keep breathing and loose and comfortable. Don't pull your chin inward so hard that the sides of your neck hurts.
Keep it simple and easy. It will work and be fun.
At Friday, November 16, 2007 4:29:00 PM,
Anonymous said…
Actually you are looking at two schools of training. One (hunched shoulders) is from a more traditional boxing form. The shoulders are raised so that the deltoids protect the chin. If you choose this style your hands should also be close to you chin and your elbows tucked in to shield from punches.
The trainer is actually holding his neck in a Muay Thai Boxing position. The reason the chin isn't held forward in this style is because knees and elbows come from below. The hands are further out so that opponents kicks are visible. Also you can grapple in Muay Thai, so the arms are held further out as a way through the opponents guard, as well as allowing you to catch kicks and utilize your elbows. When grappling in Muay Thai your back/neck is kept straight to prevent bending over and being hit with a knee.
What you are actually looking at is someone who knows true Muay Thai technique and some one who is learning, but probably has some boxing training.
At Monday, November 19, 2007 5:01:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Right Steve, nice summary of the two. As in the post, Western boxers are often taught to hunch to "protect their neck." However, it turns out that it doesn't protect the neck as much as hoped from blows (which you should be slipping anyway), and can produce many and serious neck and shoulder problems - partially listed in the post - more problems than a boxer would get from not "protecting" by hunching. Boxing and other fighting arts have become sports with rules, which means that the moves are not designed to be the most effective or healthful, just the ones that fit the rules (which strikes and moves you are allowed and how they are done). Don't hunch the neck in any sport and you will usually be better off.
At Saturday, October 10, 2009 11:04:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
i think part of the intent behind the hunching of the neck is to brace against impacts to the head.
whilst this costs you by making your head a closer target, it makes it less likely to be toppled by your head snapping back by bringing your center of gravity forward and down.
At Thursday, December 17, 2009 11:25:00 PM,
Christine said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
At Thursday, December 17, 2009 11:26:00 PM,
Christine said…
Hello,
Your article is very helpful for me.
Indeed, although a very good sportive and healthy, I have started this year boxing and I have increased my numbers of training, mainly on heavy bag since August. To hit harder on the heavyv bag, I was bending forward my head and also it is easy for getting hands up...Then I got big trouble with my neck : I blocked a nerve and got a joint strain on right side. I totally demolished my neck. The physiotherapist said that this was mainly due to my stance at my desk and, as I have a quite long neck, to the fact of bending my neck forward. I have been careful and yet, I am now damaging the left side, which is for me very weird as I am right handed...Finally I don't know what to do to fully recovered and be able to hit and train hard again as before...I am fed up with putting ice, creams and taking pills and sleeping very bad!
Can the fatigue increase the neck and shoulder injuries?
I am quite certain that it is due to my uncorrect stance at boxing. I am trying to correct it but it is hard mainly when you start being tired to keep the hand up so by habits you start bending the head.
Do you have some advise to keep my neck straight when hitting heavy bag please?
Thank you for your help.
Christine
At Friday, December 18, 2009 12:38:00 PM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Christine, Smart that you discovered how the 'forward head' makes these problem. You are right that ice, pills, and creams do not stop the cause or the damage. Instead, stop causes so you can box and live in healthy fun ways.
Read all my replies to this article already here, above. Click the links to go to my articles that give details how to stop the injurious posture. Try each concept and retraining drill in the links provided and let me know your results. You will know if you are doing them right when you feel the change right then. If you need more, get my book Healthy Martial Arts or others at DrBookspan.com/books. Remember that part of the discipline of boxing and any martial art is doing what is right, even when tired. Stay strong.
At Tuesday, January 12, 2010 7:06:00 PM,
Christine said…
Dear Dr. Jolie,
I have stopped pills and cream now. My neck looks like feeling better and it is difficult to describe but I feel like sort of stronger when facing the heavy bag straight...Perhaps also because I changed my working out for my abdominals.
Soon I could work out my footwork to move nicely but straight. I am enjoying trying to fight against tiredness somehow because it pays little by little!! After struggling, my guard is okay, I feel less tired in keeping hands up, more relax, more natural...I even rest my hand on my face as champions are doing but I need to be vigilant not to be lazy...and stay strong as you said!
However, I am still not recovered because I have to face to muscles stiffness. My joints are not loose enough yet...All my shoulders are very stiff, which causes me pain, disconfort and I have still reflection of the past pain. Due to stiff, I feel my left arm sleepy sometimes...so after ice, I am to heat! I stretch as much as I can and it slowly start going but I might need massage to help. Indeed, I have always been an extremely nervous people and so all my muscles are easily tight naturally...I struggle with that.
I have bought your books, not read them yet but I think I will enjoy the "Healthy Martial Arts".
I don't do any more crunches. I like your position advices...I need to try to check everything. My questions are:
1- if our hips are too much forward from our neutral spine position, can it also hurt our back?
2- when you sleep, can your position affect your neck and back because it is hard to control when sleeping lol ?
I feel terrible when I see people doing wrong stuff at gym...My boxing partner started the crunches as I was doing and even if I explained to him, it is hard to beleive (they think I hurt myself because I am skinny and hit too hard and as a bully for my weight at boxing!) perhaps he will get nothing as he has a shorter neck and bigger than I and if he doesn't do that everyday as I were doing...Hope so!
Thanks for all!
Christine
At Thursday, January 21, 2010 3:30:00 AM,
Jolie Bookspan, M.Ed, PhD, FAWM said…
Christine, good work, on schedule. Keep your good work coming. Here are the next things to try:
1. Click Better Shoulder and Triceps Stretch,
2. Start with easy wall handstands. Here is how to start - Wall Handstand Success With Liz, then click the links to learn how to do it,
3. Read the comments and my replies to Kip in Is Bad Martial Arts Good Exercise?.
Click the label Martial arts for all articles.
For your questions, Right, forward hip overly-pinches the lower spine. In general for better sleep, straighten out in the day time with healthy stretches so you are not too tight to sleep comfortably at night, and in general, don't contort while sleeping.
Sorry for delay replying, I am out of the country with limited Internet.
I look forward to your progress with this. Then we can do the next things. Relax and work hard, then a nice hot bath. Get photos and send them to me, if you want, with your continuing success stories to make a Fitness Fixer success article.
At Tuesday, February 02, 2010 3:09:00 AM,
Christine said…
Dear Dr. Jolie,
Thank you so much for your reply and help.
I will try to ask a friend to take pictures of the wall handstand to send you. I can do the simple wall hand stand version quite easily but after I need to work on my balance for handstand push-ups.
I felt very well last week and all pains disappeared but I think I overtrained.
I feel very tired and got some kind of soreness or pain associated with headache (when I am very tired I got headache)...It becomes difficult to make a difference between pain due to my neck and soreness due to overtraining.
I put heat on my neck very often (3 times a day at least) and just over this week-end, my neck started to crack when stretching....mainly one side.
I hate that cracking and wonder if it is a good sign or not...I am so afraid of damaging my joints again. Can they be too loose now because of overheat or because I ahve started hitting hard again?
I have tried to keep my head straight a lot yet. My posture improved but it seems not perfect enough yet.
I appreciate your help and time so much.
Christine
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