Is head banging hazardous to my health?

Dear Pain in the Neck, 

It’s understandable that you might want to play your shows with a bang, after all, head banging is a thriving part of heavy metal culture! But, as you’ve noticed, head banging can come with some consequences. While there has been little formal research done on the subject, the few studies that do exist have found that brain injuries can result from head banging. It’s possible these injuries could lead to permanent damage. To learn more about head banging-related injuries, head banging harm reduction techniques, and tips to treat your pain, read on! 

Can head banging cause injuries?  

There hasn't been much research done concerning the long-term health effects of head banging. That said, some studies indicate that there are risks associated with repeated and forceful movements, including damage to the brain. For example, some people have developed traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and subdural hematomas from music-related head banging. Whether or not you have permanent damage as a result of either of these conditions depends on multiple factors. There are many types of TBIs and the severity of these, as well as that of subdural hematomas, varies. On top of that, how quickly you receive treatment for these injuries can also impact health outcomes.  

But hold on, before you start feeling a new kind of stage fright, it’s worth emphasizing that these serious complications have only been linked to head banging in research studies called “case reports”—which focus on the symptoms of one individual—not in any major studies that look at prevalence in a whole population. Because there’s no large-scale research on this topic, it’s not possible to say with certainty that head banging causes permanent injury.  

Additionally, no two people are alike, and there are several reasons why head banging could bother some more than others. For example, a history of back, neck, or spinal cord injuries could be aggravated by head banging. 

What are some ways to reduce harm to your brain while head banging? 

As head banging gets faster and involves a larger range of motion, the risk of injury increases. Here are a few related adjustments you might make to your head banging technique that might help reduce your neck pain and risk of injury: 

• Try to limit the range of motion of your neck while head banging—a smaller head bang is still a head bang after all.  
• Bang your head to every other beat instead of every single beat.  
• Finally, you might consider head banging during the slower songs, which deserve just as much performative emphasis as the upbeat songs, right? 

Are there alternatives to head banging? 

If you find that these adjusted head banging moves don’t bring as much relief as you’d hoped, you might try finding alternative ways to dance. By making your performances work for you, you may enjoy performing more and increase your influence on your audience. For example, you might try rocking your whole body instead of just your neck and head, pumping your fist, making the hand horns gesture, or stomping your feet. It might take some experimenting to find moves that work for you, but in general you might try those that aren’t just focused on the head or neck.  As the front man, eyes are on you, so this could be the perfect opportunity to come up with the next big move! 

How can you treat your neck pain? 

In the meantime, you don't need to suffer from neck and upper shoulder pain. There are several things you can do to find some relief. For instance, you could: 

• Try medication: over-the-counter (OTC) pain relivers can reduce inflammation and pain. 
• Apply heat and ice: both heat and ice can help reduce soreness and promote healing. You might try alternating between taking hot showers or using a heating pad and using a cold compress. 
• Slowly stretch: without pushing yourself to a point that aggravates your pain, you might try slowly rolling your shoulders or moving your head side to side. 
• Get professional attention: you might find it helpful to work with a physical therapist, chiropractor, or massage therapist to guide you through specific movements to help reduce soreness.  

List adapted from Healthline 

Hopefully these tricks help soothe your pain, and you can either find ways to head bang without injury or create new killer moves on stage. 

Rock on,