Expert: Ken Alan - 7/2/2003

Question
I have had brain, neck and spinal cord surgery and have a permanent drainage tube in my spinal cord to keep the spinal fluid from filling the inside of my spinal cord instead of remaining in the spinal column where it belongs.  Needless to say, I try to be very careful with my neck.  Before I had this surgery, I could do sit-ups and crunches without bothering the muscles in my neck, but since then I have been unable to keep those muscles out of the picture when doing them.  I need alternatives for crunches to use during my aerobic workouts for abs and obliques.  My instructor knows some of my problem and just tells me to do whatever I can, but I really would like to do something else that will strengthen and tone my ab muscles while everyone else is doing crunches.  Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks!
Kathy

Answer
Yes there are other options you can do.  With your situation, you need to be shown and monitored in person; trying an exercise from just trying to read how to do it is risky on your part and ill advised.  Glad that you're motivated, but you gotta play it safer.  

Find a good trainer in your area who can work with you one-on-one for a while (contact acefitness.org to locate trainers in your area if you need to).

Best wishes to you, proud that you're still maintaining activity.  Keep it up.