Neck pain can occur with injury to any of the structures in the neck, including bones, muscles, nerves, ligaments, and the inter-vertebral discs that stabilize and support the spine1. The most common neck injuries include2:
- Strains, or tears of muscles and tendons
- Fractures, or broken cervical (neck) vertebrae
- Spasms, or tight contractions of neck muscles
- Stingers, or injuries of the nerves between the neck and the arm causing numbness, weakness and tingling
Neck injuries are often minor, but can be serious if there is a fracture or spinal cord damage2. These are the top five methods for protecting the neck from injury:
