 [ Symptoms ] i have a herniated disk in my neck i would like to work my abs are there any excercises i can do that wont hurt my neck [ Disease ] yes there are a number of exercises you can do 1 planks starting position lying on the floor assume the up position in a push up hands flat on the floor abs tight legs straight helpful tips  be sure to look straight ahead in this case your looking at the floor directly beneath you this keeps your cervical spine in a neutral position  if this bothers your wrists perform them with your elbows bent and your forearms flat on the floor  as fatigue sets in do not tighten your neck muscles by clenching your jaw this might irritate your neck  repetitions 3 times 30 seconds 2 side planks starting position lying on your side with your legs straight and stacked one on top of the other your hips flat on the floor elbow bent the elbow is directly underneath the shoulder and the forearm is flat on the floor exercise raise your hips and legs off the floor at this point the only thing in contact with the floor is one foot the other is stacked on top of the one supporting you your elbow and forearm the free arm can either remain resting on your side or you can raise it ou to form a t position hold for 30 seconds then rollover and perform lying on the other side helpful tips  just like with planks keep your cervical spine in a neutral position by looking straight ahead 3 crunches and sit ups  many times these exercises can still be done in folks with neck problems however there are 3 key points to keep in mind 1 do not clasp your hands behind your head many times as people tire they begin pulling on there head to bring their body up   irritating the neck 2 fold your arms across your chest or keep them straight at your sides this will stop you from pulling on your neck 3 really concentrate on leading with your upper back and torso versus your head the abdominal muscles are responsible for flexing your torso not the neck by concentrating on using your abs you can keep your neck in a neutral position 4 knee tucks on a stability ball advanced exercise starting position assume the position i described in the first plank exercise except your shins are now resting on the top of the stability ball exercise tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly draw your knees towards your chest pause then return back to the starting position with your legs straight helpful tips  exhale as you pull your knees towards you  keep your neck in a neutral position by looking down at the floor 5 since your dealing with an injury its important to start slow concentrate on your form and proceed cautiously before attempting new exercises also run these exercises by the physician treating you for this condition to avoid re injury for some additional exercises and video directions for some great