Benching cause neck problems?

drgentile · 04-14-2008, 06:31 PM

Does doing flat bench presses have any relation to the amount of stress the neck takes? I'm just wondering because I just started a new workout coming off of a light weight/high rep workout into a heavy weight workout and started out with bench presses and when I got up from doing a pretty heavy set, I started feeling this sharp throbbing pain in the back side of my neck. And now every time I try to lift, it starts hurting even more. I haven't seen a doctor yet, and intend to, but now I'm just trying to connect what's happened here.

danzik17 · 04-14-2008, 06:44 PM

See a doctor for sure.

Are you performing the lift properly? The bar should be coming down right above the center of your chest, an inch or two above the nipple. It should not be coming down near the upper portion of your chest or the neck since that puts too much strain on your shoulders which can likely cause neck problems too.

drgentile · 04-14-2008, 06:58 PM

Now that I think about it, I do remember coming down too fast and trying to push the bar up but it was too close to my head. I usually don't have a problem with any technique but I guess accidents happen.

Yanick · 04-14-2008, 08:10 PM

Sometimes you tend to contract unnecessary muscles while pushing heavy weight which can lead to a slight strain in some of the neck musculature, i used to get this all the time on presses (mostly overhead but sometimes on bench). RICE and maybe NSAID's if the pain interferes with daily living.

04-14-2008, 06:31 PM	#1
drgentile Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 5	Benching cause neck problems? Does doing flat bench presses have any relation to the amount of stress the neck takes? I'm just wondering because I just started a new workout coming off of a light weight/high rep workout into a heavy weight workout and started out with bench presses and when I got up from doing a pretty heavy set, I started feeling this sharp throbbing pain in the back side of my neck. And now every time I try to lift, it starts hurting even more. I haven't seen a doctor yet, and intend to, but now I'm just trying to connect what's happened here.

04-14-2008, 06:44 PM	#2
danzik17 Gender: MALE Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 3,072	See a doctor for sure. Are you performing the lift properly? The bar should be coming down right above the center of your chest, an inch or two above the nipple. It should not be coming down near the upper portion of your chest or the neck since that puts too much strain on your shoulders which can likely cause neck problems too. Ron Paul 2012 Journal: danzik17's Log - 4-6 Week Strength/Bulk Journal: Sub 10% by April <old>

04-14-2008, 08:10 PM	#4
Yanick Amor Fati Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 4,231	Sometimes you tend to contract unnecessary muscles while pushing heavy weight which can lead to a slight strain in some of the neck musculature, i used to get this all the time on presses (mostly overhead but sometimes on bench). RICE and maybe NSAID's if the pain interferes with daily living. "The greatest obstacle to knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge." -Barry Marshall, Nobel Laureate

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04-14-2008, 06:58 PM	#3
drgentile Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 5	Now that I think about it, I do remember coming down too fast and trying to push the bar up but it was too close to my head. I usually don't have a problem with any technique but I guess accidents happen.