Neurologic complications of sit-ups associated with the Valsalva maneuver: 2 case reports.

We present 2 cases of potentially catastrophic neurologic consequences occurring in healthy individuals engaged in sit-up exercises. Two young healthy men were engaged in sit-ups when one developed a stroke and the other developed a spinal epidural hematoma. The Valsalva maneuver involved in the sit-up exercise can produce supraphysiologic increases in blood pressure, which can lead to vascular injury and serious neurologic consequences. Proper breathing should be encouraged and patients with known predisposing factors should avoid such exercises. Prompt recognition of neurologic signs and symptoms during exercise can be life saving. This is the first report of the neurologic complications of sit-ups. Copyright 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation