WTF did I do to myself?

[Gearloose]

Today was lower body workout day. We got to the gym at 3:00 pm this afternoon. The first exercise was leg extensions. I did some stretching and warmed up with a set of 50 lb extensions, then moved the weight up to 150 lb where I've been the last few workouts.

I use a Cybex leg machine. On the first set I only get 8 reps when I normally get 10 or 12. On the 8th rep I get a shooting pain up through the back of my neck and base of my skull. I stop the set and start massaging the muscles in my neck. After a few minutes, the pain eases off and I start another set. This time I get in a full 10 reps without the shooting pain. Theres some discomfort in my neck during the set, but not like the first set. As soon as I complete the set, let go of the hand grips under the chair, and start to get up, my neck explodes in pain. It's serious pain too. I get nauseous and have to sit down. This time it doesn't go away in a few minutes. Well, the workout is shot to hell. We go home and I put an ice pack on my neck. I've had ice on my neck for 3-1/2 hours. While the ice is there the pain goes away. Without the ice the pain comes back.

WTF did I do to myself?

[CF-OC_gal]

Gee I haven't a clue but I wouldn't wait around. Get it checked out man!

I hope it's nothing serious gear.

[booze]

if its anything like what i did on monday(which it sounds like) the pain is extremely severe, even when not moving your neck at all, that includes sitting in a chair or laying down, ice helps, but not isnt good enough.
Apparently i did something to the nerves in my neck and something twisted and swelled up all becuase of poor neck posture when lifting, and 3 physio appointments later and a week off school and its still sore.

its possible you could have done the same thing, did you have your neck out straining in any way wen performing the weights, as the physio told me its very important to have your neck right up and back like a soldier when lifting.

go to your local physio asap and get some help, but this is just going to take time and pain my friend. Id advise you to get some sort of strong pain killer with codine in it....helps alot and usually knocks you out at night.

[Gearloose]

Originally Posted by booze

if its anything like what i did on monday(which it sounds like) the pain is extremely severe, even when not moving your neck at all, that includes sitting in a chair or laying down, ice helps, but not isnt good enough.
Apparently i did something to the nerves in my neck and something twisted and swelled up all becuase of poor neck posture when lifting, and 3 physio appointments later and a week off school and its still sore.

its possible you could have done the same thing, did you have your neck out straining in any way wen performing the weights, as the physio told me its very important to have your neck right up and back like a soldier when lifting.

go to your local physio asap and get some help, but this is just going to take time and pain my friend. Id advise you to get some sort of strong pain killer with codine in it....helps alot and usually knocks you out at night.

This was leg extensions on a machine, so no upper body lifting movements involved. I was sitting with my legs behind a padded bar. I did have a good grip on the handles on either side of the seat, and was straining pretty good during the last three reps to stay in my seat while pushing out the bar with my legs.

It's been 6 hours since I did this to myself. The pain is still there, but is down to the level of a nasty headache. Hopefully, a night's rest will bring some relief. I think I'm gonna stay away from the leg extensions for a week or so.

Dr. on Monday if the neck still hurts.

[gcs118]

Did you warm up? 50 lbs straight to 150 lbs does not qualify as a warm up. Sounds like the problem to me.

[Chain]

It sounds kinda like something I've done before but usually it doesn't hurt that bad. Is it going up the middle of the back of your head or off to the side?

[arbit]

As booze said, cood be that some muscle spasmed up in the neck. I did that one time while taking dumbells out of the rack. Pain was moderate at first but overnight it became quite bad, coodnt sleep.
Take an ibuprofen and stay away from lifting today. The ibuprofen helps relax the spasmed muscle. If situation not (much) better by monday, go to doc.

[Gearloose]

I'm still suffering with the neck, so went to my doctor this afternoon. In his opinion, I've tore the muscle in my neck right where it attaches to the base of the skull. I don't have any of the symptoms of nerve damage or a ruptured disc. He gave me an anti-inflammitory called Mobic (Meloxicam) and told me not to do anything to aggravate the symptoms for a week or so. He said I could do anything in the gym as long as it didn't hurt my neck. I'm going to skip the gym tonight and let it heal a bit more. I'll take the trike out for a few miles of cardio instead. I rode 8 miles last night with no problems or pain.

[threenorns]

with the meloxicam, don't be surprised if your arthritis gets a lot better.

i'm so sorry to hear about that - injury really sucks. get better soon and don't let this temporary speedbump knock you off the road of progression!

or else.

i mean that.

[drdjsmm]

When you do heavy weight and do lifts such as dead lifts and squats, your body has to stabilize the spine with the utmost accuracy. Many muscles are at work, even muscles you wouldn't suspect, such as neck muscles. Seems to me you strained a muscle (most likely) or the increased pressure in the joints of your neck exacurbated an underlying joint problem such as facet syndrome.

Ice will help the most, refrain from causing pain to the area through other lifts. If the pain persists, seek care. Muscle pain will cause other muscles to work harder and in different ways, and if it doesn't heal correctly, it can bother you for a while. I would seek corrective care if this happens.

[Merrida]

I know you were doing leg extensions, so you feel confused as to why your neck should hurt, but there IS a relationship.

Your grip.

Your holding the bars with your hands,...and your hand grip stabilizes your torso as you lift. The cervical vertebrae end right where your arms start. I was wondering about neuro stuff,...but your doc R/O this, yeah? That's good.

Watch for radicular pain radiating down your arms. Even if it does happen, sometimes it's a matter of inflammation just needing to calm down to put less pressure on the nerves.

Remember, pain can be referred, not localized. Localized is what your quads feel. Referred is what your tight grip and posture and compensation feel.

[Gearloose]

Originally Posted by Merrida

I know you were doing leg extensions, so you feel confused as to why your neck should hurt, but there IS a relationship.

Your grip.

Your holding the bars with your hands,...and your hand grip stabilizes your torso as you lift. The cervical vertebrae end right where your arms start. I was wondering about neuro stuff,...but your doc R/O this, yeah? That's good.

Watch for radicular pain radiating down your arms. Even if it does happen, sometimes it's a matter of inflammation just needing to calm down to put less pressure on the nerves.

Remember, pain can be referred, not localized. Localized is what your quads feel. Referred is what your tight grip and posture and compensation feel.

Tonight was my first night back in the gym since the injury. It was an upper body workout. Therre was no neck pain--just lots of not so delayed DOMS.
I was a bit apprehensive about doing my shoulder shrugs, but they went ok. I did 3 sets of 12x with 75 lb dumbells and felt no neck pain at all--can't say the same for my Traps!

I will do my first lower body workout since the neck injury this Thursday. I plan to do a lot of warmup on the leg extensions and drop back on the max weight for a couple of sessions until I'm certain I will not have a repeat performance of the injury.

[Bronco]

Originally Posted by Gearloose

I will do my first lower body workout since the neck injury this Thursday. I plan to do a lot of warmup on the leg extensions and drop back on the max weight for a couple of sessions until I'm certain I will not have a repeat performance of the injury.

I would add a warmup of a about 90-100 pounds before trying the 150. What you describe I have felt. Muscle spasms and kind of scary, hurts and makes you feel strange that you think yoru could be having soem sort of stroke or did soemthing really bad.

Could be a pinched nerve as well.

Ibopofren my friend ...ice and soem time away from what aggrevated it.

When you do decide to do it again, take it super slow and less weight..you may actually feel that pain again. It just means it needs more time thats all.

[gcs118]

Is there an alternative to leg extensions? Squats? Or even leg press? The leg extensions will hurt you the heavier you go, and if you don't get another injury, your gonna do some decent damage to the knees doing the extensions.