For The Conversation, Aliza Rudavsky (Assistant Research Professor of Kinesiology at Penn State University) explained how breakdancers avoid injuring themselves when breaking:
Elite B-boys and B-girls make headspinning look easy, but it puts a lot of load on the neck and can risk serious injuries.
One study showed that while breakers didn’t have more neck flexibility than nonbreakers, they did have significantly more neck strength in all neck motions and in holding the neutral position, which is critical for achieving a headspin. Another study showed that nearly half of all breakers report neck pain and strains.
I can think of one particular Olympic “breaker” who didn’t have that trouble in Paris…