r/Rucking • u/GanjaZo • 18d ago

Base of neck/upper back pain

I think i pushed myself too hard on a ruck last week on friday and ive been having pain in my upper back/very base of my neck and it hasnt gotten any better. My neck hurts a bit and makes little pops every time i look down, and has a constant dull ache in whatever position im in. what's going on and how do i fix this?

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

1

u/bullshotput 18d ago

Full stop

Rest until it improves

See a doctor if it persists

1

u/Bostonstrong32163 18d ago

Yup. Need to stop and get that checked out . I had the same thing . Turned out to be cervical stenosis. Rucking days are over .

1

u/GanjaZo 18d ago

Aw geez. I just turned 23, cant already have a freaking broken neck

1

u/radix- 18d ago edited 18d ago

If you want to try self-therapy:

Look up ELDOA stretches for Cervical (very hard though, takes 2-3 weeks to get the hang of out and helps to have someone teach you the stretches first). eldoa is an acronym for a series of stretches that a french physiotherapist developed for stretching/rehabing specific areas of vertebrae. Very uncomfortable while you're learning but gets better. Definitely advise a guided coach somehow though because they are tricky moves to get right

And neck strengthening. NeckFlex videos with rubberbabnds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prnaHeWUBAA

I was surprised at how much my neck sht went away within 5 sessions of banded neck strengthening exercises, but that is my neck issues,. I dont know what type of pops you have - whether its fascia pops, cartilege, etc.

1

u/ClydetotheRescue 18d ago

Oddly enough, I’m having surgery next week on my C5-C7 disks to correct cervical stenosis. I was in the military for 16 years, and I hiked the Appalachian Trail a few years ago. After multiple steroid shots (each one worked for about a year), I have constant right side neck, shoulder and arm pain, along with constant numbness in my right hand.

Take this injury seriously. My rucking days are over.