Neck pain is one of the most common reasons that patients seek out physical therapy, but there are many different types of neck pain that require the careful evaluation of a licensed physical therapist to treat successfuly. Beyond just having good posture, here are some things that your physical therapist can help you consider and modify, so that your neck pain has less of a chance to happen again:

Work Environment

Do you have a job or an activity that requires repeated reaching, lifting, or carrying? Especially with one arm or hand? Many of the muscles that attach to your neck also attach to your shoulder joint, or to your thoracic spine. Having your physical therapist assess other parts of your body or how you perform your job can give you ideas as to how to work more efficiently with less pain.

Ergonomic Set-up

It's not just about good posture when sitting at a desk. How abour your computer set up? Do you have a monitor that requires your head to constantly be turned? Do you work on a laptop or a mobile pad? Is your desk too high? Your chair too low? No arm support? Beyond spending one hour in the clinic, physical therapy can address the postures you have to sustain for hours of each day and factor those demands into the types of exercises and manual therapy provided to you.

Eyewear and Hearing

Certain types of eyewear can make you reposition your neck into positions that can cause pain over time. Multifocal, bifocal lenses, or an incorrect brand of regular eye wear can cause you to adjust your neck position to see better. This also pertains to having an incorrect or no hearing aid when hearing may become difficult.

Hobbies

Are you a painter? A musician? A runner? An avid reader? Your favorite activities outside of work may be contributing to your neck pain. Your physical therapist can help you to continue enjoying your hobbies such as modifying your technique or instruments, adjusting your position, or treating other parts of the body that may contribute to your neck pain.

These may be things that many other healthcare providers may not consider, or address with you. At Superior Rehabilitation, we treat you as a person, not just as "neck pain" or a "stiff joint." Give us a call today to make an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists at 504-887-7463!