Neck Pain or Stiffness Physical Therapy
Do you wake up all the time and find you can't turn your head one direction because your neck has a crick in it?
Is there a constant "knot" in your shoulder blade that won't go away? It might even get worse when you try to massage it.
Sometimes, it can be that you end the work day and you feel stiff and achy throughout your neck and into your shoulders.
Or maybe it's symptoms down the arm or into the hand where you're starting to experience numbness and tingling - likely aggravated by computer or phone use.
Dr. Riley can help with all of these concerns as well as any others associated with the neck and shoulders!
Crick in the Neck
A common sign with this issue is that you may find you wake up and can't turn your head one way without significant pain.
Often, this issue arises from a joint in your neck that has become stiff or impaired in its movement. This makes it pinch the tissues around it when you try to turn your head, which can be very painful.
Through manual techniques and exercises, Dr. Riley can help to restore this motion and get you back to doing what you love.
He will also provide exercises to strengthen your neck and shoulders to ensure that this issue doesn't come back! Book now to see how he can help!
Do you find that you have a knot in your shoulder blade (also known as the scapula) that just won't seem to go away no matter how much you dig into it?
You may even go for regular massages and at most you get short term relief before it comes back again.
This painful "knot" is often actually coming from your neck! The nerves in your neck can refer pain to this area of your body if there is irritation or inflammation of them or the surrounding neck musculature or joints.
Dr. Riley can help assess your neck and shoulders to identify where the issue is actually coming from. Book now to see how he can help!
"Knot" in the Shoulder Blade
Chronic Neck Stiffness or Pain
Do you find that you end the work day and your neck is stiff? It may be that turning your head side to side feels achy and you might even be able to feel it into your shoulders.
Are your shoulders constantly up at your ears because they're so tight and tense?
Or it could be that no matter the pillow you try, you always wake up stiff and achy.
You may say you have "bad posture" and that's where it's all coming from. The secret Dr. Riley will let you in on? The best posture is frequent movement - not one static position.
Often, these issues are due to muscle imbalances or lack of proper mobility in the neck. Muscles will often tighten up due to weakness - rather than strength. Think of it like those muscles clenching with everything they have to try to give the support you need.
Dr. Riley can assess your neck and shoulder function (these are often related!) to ensure that you have full, proper movement and strength. By strengthening these areas, those muscles won't have to stiffen up and clench so hard, bringing relief to those stiff and achy joints.
Book now to see how he can help!
Do you experience numbness, tingling, or pain down the arm? The image in this section demonstrates a few areas you may feel this into.
Nerves into the hands originate from the neck, traveling their whole path down the arm. This means that anywhere along that path, you can experience diffuse pain that may be burning, numb, tingling, shooting, or achy (to name a few sensations).
By evaluating your motion and the tension of your nerves, Dr. Riley can help assess if the issue is coming from your neck or anywhere else along the path of the nerve!
With strengthening exercises and nerve gliding techniques, he can help eliminate your symptoms and get you back to your normal life.
Book now to see how he can help!
Numbness and Tingling
Falmouth Maine Orthopedic and Pelvic Health PT
19 Northbrook Drive, Falmouth, ME 04105
207-200-6851