Massage Therapy,Headaches and Abdominal Exercises :Can you get a headache from doing sit ups?

Yes you can! No, this isn't a political campaign, but today I'm targeting the topic that can help avoid tension headaches in the future and offer some helpful tips if you experience one. Most avid exercisers and maybe even beginners can make the common mistake of overdoing it at the gym. These accidental overdoses of work-out errors can cause strain and pain within your muscles and tension headaches are no different. They are caused by the muscles accumulating too much stress in which the nervous system begins to alert the body that there is a "stress" overload and the situation (or high tension in the muscles) must be taken care of. Your abdominal muscles are usually the ones that most people are eager to transform into that coveted six pack especially during beach season. Common exercises such as crunches or sit-ups though can aggravate anterior neck muscles which can be a prime source for tension headaches. Suggestion? When performing ab exercises, try to focus on the ab muscles in your mind, this will help you in using the ab muscles solely instead of relying on your upper body for assistance. Keep your fingers crossed and lightly cup the base of your neck with your hands. Why lightly? Because if you cup the base of your head and push it forward when doing a crunch, you are literally forcing your neck muscles forward, causing unnecessary strain. Have you ever watched an ab machine infomercial? If you place close attention the speakers emphasize on the fact that you won't damage your neck by forcing it forward if you buy their machine as opposed to straining the neck during traditional work-outs. While many people due accidentally force their neck forward during ab exercises, your neck strain can be spared by 1)not forcing or pushing the neck forward during sit-ups 2)Using proper body mechanics 3) performing lower ab exercises which can be done by curling your legs towards your chest from a vertical or horizontal position; taking away the pressure from your upper body. Doing these during your work out will save you money from buying fancy work-out gear and headaches in the future. If you do experience a headache from strenuous ab or upper body work-outs, use an ice pack on the area for the next few days and stay away from those particular work-outs and of course, get a massage to relax those overworked muscles! stay healthy!