As fun trampolines can be, they can also be just as injurious to your body. It can be especially painful if you’re not careful or you have a pre-existing condition. I have had people asking, “why does my neck hurt after jumping on a trampoline?”
The answer is obvious. They most likely had a bad landing where their spines were in imbalance, or they hit their head on the trampoline mat. Whichever it is, it can cause severe pain in your neck, back, and chest.
But those aren’t the only reasons why your neck might be hurting after jumping on a trampoline.
What Can Cause Neck Pain?
If we understand how the neck is the center of head and shoulder movement, we will understand why trampoline jumping can hurt the neck.
Our neck region has a high density of muscles connecting different bones together. Even the slightest imbalance while sleeping can cause so much pain that moving our heads from side to side becomes painful.
The neck muscles are highly sensitive, but they are much weaker than the muscles in our hands and legs. And that means they cannot take much pressure or endure twisting motion as much.
Anybody who regularly exercises their legs, arms, and shoulders will tell you that the shoulders get fatigued much sooner.
Neck pain is a common result of overworking the muscles or twisting the muscles in a bad way.
Any strain on the joints in your neck and shoulder region could cause neck pain.
Neck Pain from Trampolines
I’d say trampolines carry a much higher risk of injuring your limbs than physical activity done on solid ground.
You may not even realize that your neck is injured until after the next morning. You’ll wake up with pain in your neck. It will feel stiff, and you will not be able to move your head without pain.
A neck injury can happen from trampolines if one of the following happens,
- If you suffer a bad landing on your shoulder
- If you fell from the trampoline and hit your upper body hard
- If you land your head
In all of these scenarios, your neck muscles suffer a serious blow. You won’t start feeling the pain right away. Once the rush of cortisol and adrenaline goes away after a night’s sleep, the sprained muscles will start to hurt. You’re looking at a couple of painful days.
Can You Break Your Neck on a Trampoline?
A simple look at the hospital ER admissions will tell you that injuries from trampolines have increased a lot in recent years. While severe injuries are on the lower side, there are many incidents of broken arms, legs, and ankles. Traumas to these limbs are pretty common scenes.
However, breaking your neck isn’t easy, which is why there aren’t a lot of mentionable broken neck reports.
But you can’t rule out the risk of a broken neck when it comes to a trampoline. There are reports of permanent paralysis from neck and head trauma, as documented by the Tulsa Legal Firm.
What Does Neck Fracture Feel Like?
If your neck is hurting, it’s most likely only a little spraining of the muscles. You should not be worried about a neck fracture unless you feel extreme pain and the area swells up. If you start to lose sensation in your hands and legs, you need to go to the hospital. Call the emergency services if your condition deteriorates faster.
How to Prevent Neck Pain After Trampoline?
If you took the trampoline bouncing too lightly, your imperfect techniques might cause you to land badly. Don’t bounce without restraints, and make sure you’re slowly progressing to harder techniques. They seem easy in a YouTube video. But trust me, they are much harder than they look.
And always keep a friend with you on the trampoline mat to prevent such injuries.
Final Words
If anyone asks you, “why does my neck hurt after jumping on a trampoline?”, now you know the answer. It’s easy to hurt yourself on a trampoline, but it’s also easy to prevent such a painful experience. Don’t get too excited and attempt outrageous moves on the trampoline, it’ll save you from a world of trouble.
Last Updated on February 23, 2023