The cervical spine is one of the most common and frustrating sources of pain. Patients commonly experience neck pain and tightness that can contribute to headaches, TMJ issues, and shoulder pain. There can be several causes of neck pain including muscle imbalances, facet joint hypomobility, or soft tissue restrictions such as trigger points or increased tension in muscles such as the upper trapezius, levator scapula, or suboccipitals. Muscle imbalances can be addressed with exercises prescribed by physical therapists. Some helpful exercises can be found on the JGPT and Innovative Physical Therapy Youtube Channel. Other causes of neck pain including facet joint hypomobility and soft tissue restrictions can be addressed using a personalized and hands-on manual therapy approach.
Physical therapy is very effective in treating neck pain conservatively and can help avoid more aggressive interventions such as surgery. The best physical therapy approach for reducing neck pain includes a combination of exercise, manual therapy, and modalities such as traction or dry needling. If you haven’t tried physical therapy, or have tried physical therapy and been disappointed in the results due to a lack of individualized treatment, one-on-one attention, or heavy exercise based treatment without manual therapy, it may be time to try a different approach. Come in to Innovative Physical Therapy for a comprehensive assessment with a Physical Therapist who will develop an individualized treatment plan combining functional manual therapy, modalities, and exercise to address the root cause of your neck pain. Call Innovative Physical Therapy at (904) 280-2002 or visit our website MyManualpt.com.
