Can Your Stomach Muscles Be Sore From Jumping on the Trampoline?

Even when you're having fun jumping up and down on a trampoline, you're still getting a good aerobic workout. Jumping on a trampoline works out your core muscles, which help with balance, and this includes your stomach muscles. Dull pain is normal when you've been on a trampoline, but you should see a doctor if you're experiencing severe, sharp pain.

When you jump on a trampoline you're working out your core muscles, especially your stomach muscles. In order to help with balance, your stomach muscles tense up when you're coming in for a landing on a trampoline. Continually relaxing and then tensing your stomach muscles as you jump provides a good abdominal workout. If you're not used to working out your abs, this is likely to lead to delayed onset muscle soreness. This type of soreness begins 12 to 24 hours after your workout and can last up to 72 hours. If the pain's severe, wait to jump again until your pain lessens and then try a lighter workout next time and slowly build up to longer lengths of time as your ab muscles get stronger.

One kind of stomach muscle pain that is commonly associated with jumping on a trampoline -- or any other type of aerobic exercise that involves repetitive movements of your core -- is a side stitch. Called exercise-related transient abdominal pain, a stitch can range from mild aching to a sharp, stabbing pain in your side below your ribs. You should stop jumping on a trampoline when you feel a stitch to relieve the pain quickly. If you don't eat right before or after using a trampoline, you'll cut down your chances of experiencing a side stitch.

If you feel more severe pain in your stomach that doesn't stop after you've finished working out, you might have actually injured a stomach muscle. Muscle sprains, muscle strains and bruises are common injuries from trampolines. This can include pulling muscles in your stomach. You can even injure your back if you attempt a complicated maneuver, like a somersault in the air. Don't let the fun of the sport stop you from taking care of your body.

You're more likely to injure your stomach muscles or feel soreness if you haven't already been strengthening your ab muscles before jumping on a trampoline. In addition, if your core muscles aren't strong, you're more likely to suffer pain in other joints in your body because your ab muscles aren't strong enough to cushion the blow from your movements. Before you start jumping on a trampoline seriously, try doing crunches, situps and other ab-strengthening exercises. You might find that you feel less pain than you did before.