Neck Tweaks in Jiu Jitsu: When To Carry On and When To Listen

Jun 23

If you train jiu jitsu, you’ve probably felt it. That stiff, sore neck after being sprawled on, stacked, or getting caught in a guillotine. This is extremely common and ignoring it for too long (like any injury) is never good. In today’s newsletter, I break down the most common injury and when to see a doctor ASAP.

The Most Common

Scenario

Most neck tweaks are muscular strains that don’t cause long term damage. The neck is strong and built to handle a lot, especially when we train it correctly with regular neck focused exercises. The exception here is repetitive strains. Over time this can lead to arthritis and a painful neck. So, the goal here is to catch it early and begin training the neck before it catches up to you.

My Story

About 8 years ago, I first injured my neck. I was young, training with a way larger female. I went for an armbar and she stacked the crap out of me. My neck was immediately painful and I couldn’t turn my head left for days. I stopped jiu jitsu completely. Could barely sleep and had tingling down the back of my neck, shoulder, and triceps. It was absolutely miserable. I thought I had a herniated disc and went to my buddy (a spine surgeon) for evaluation. We got the MRI and it turned out that my neck was beat up from years of abuse. Damn.

What I Did Next

I took a 3 month break until the pain settled. And, I even considered stopping jiu jitsu all together. My love for the sport and the community would not allow that, of course. So, I spent the next 2 years building my top game. I started passing like my life depended on it. I changed the way I wrestle to avoid getting sprawled on. Then, I slowly brought back inverting only with smaller and trusted partners who I knew wouldn’t stack me. I continue to have some flare ups from time to time and work closely with a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) doctor to stay away from surgery. At the end of the day… my game is constantly adapting to keep me on the mats and I work closely with my spine surgeon buddy (who is a purple belt in jiu jitsu) and my PM&R doc to keep me safe.

When To Worry

If you get those electric shocks or pain waves down the arm, seek help. Maybe it is simply some medications to help the nerve settle and to decrease inflammation, along with physical therapy.

If you have any weakness, loss of coordination/fine motor skills, or loss of grip strength, seek medical care immediately! Do not sit on this.

Final Thoughts

If you have neck pain that doesn’t go away or any of the red flags above, take a little time off the mats to seek help. When returning, consider changing up your game for a while to avoid unnecessary pressure on the neck. Tap early in guillotines and avoid stacks, build neck strength as prevention, and don't ego your way through cranks.

Most neck pain is treated with physical therapy, recovery, and medications. A second line of treatment is neck injections. Remember that these are the most common modalities, but sometimes surgery is recommended. It is always best to find a specialist and get the correct advice.

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Dr. Megan Lisset Jimenez