Press and fucked up neck...Help!

[tongzilla]

I warmed up for my presses in the usual way, by doing reps with the bar then gradually adding more weight, etc. On my second working set, when the bar just about to be pushed up above my chin, I felt an acute strain in my neck/trap muscles. I immediately stopped and put the bar down. My neck fucking hurts now. It hurts when I look up/down/left/right. My I lie down with my back on the ground in a sleeping position, even the thought of trying to lift by head up (e.g. to get out of bed) hurts like fuck. Also, when I look in the mirror I noticed my shoulders has become even more lopsided than before. My family noticed that my neck is really tensed and unnatural. They can tell I'm in pain. Is this the end of my lifting career as I know it? :( What should I do? See the doc?

Please help! Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Is it better yet?

[tongzilla]

Is it better yet?
I saw a doc the next day, someone who specialists in spinal disorders. Did an x-ray scan, nothing wrong according to him. Sent me to the physio. Physio told me to move my neck around and stretch it...which really hurts. Physio did some weird ultrasound thing on my neck and put a sticker on my neck. Not much help. I saw a Chinese doc the next day. He violently snapped my neck. According to him, one of the discs on my neck is out of place, which I was surprised because the other doc didn't mention anything even with the x-ray scan. I immediately felt less strain and regained some of my lost range of motion in my neck. He also did some "cupping" on my neck/back area. It's now 3 days after the accident and I feel ~50% better. I fear lifting heavy weights.

I still don't know why this happened. I warmed up. My press technique is pretty good. I was pressing 110lb and I can press 130lb max for 4 reps. Maybe there's some sort of imbalance in my body.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Shit like this occasionally happens and it's not always possible to determine exactly why. Sorry, but this is the way of the Universe. Address your fear. But wait till Thursday.

[Benny1981]

I hold a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders. Even though I don't do deep static stretches before training, I make sure to warm up my joints. I always do neck rolls a few times a day.

I also cue for a relaxed jaw on overhead presses. Maybe that will help?

[JLascek]

I had a guy have something similar to this happen recently. He was far less dramatic, kept moving his neck around and icing it, and it got better in a week and a half or so.

Did you look up during the press? This is what my pal did, and he undoubtedly learned his lesson.

[tikuane]

I think the same thing happens to me. Constantly re-pull a muscle on the back of the neck while struggling through the last reps of an OHP set. It now always pops and buckles when I finger it. I'm quite certain its the splenius.

To prevent, I give my neck a good stretch before pressing. The reasoning is that it should weaken the appropriate muscles sufficiently to prevent them from hurting themselves.

Stand straight and tall, shoulders down and back. Retract neck (like you smelled something bad) and turn to look over your shoulder as far as you can and hold it. Do this for both sides just before pressing. Works for me, when I remember to do it.

Neck massage with cash register tape dowel thing is good too.

It's my own solution and I have no idea if it's good for you or not. Use at your own risk.

FWIW my uncle, a nurse, told me a story about a guy herniating a cervical disc pressing 185 overhead.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Everybody's uncle has a story. My cousin's best friend had this other friend who knew a guy in the army whose brother benched 1000 lbs.