Understanding and Managing Neck and Shoulder Pain:

Neck and shoulder pain can be debilitating, impacting everyday activities and diminishing quality of life. At our office, we prioritize identifying the root cause of pain and providing targeted solutions to alleviate discomfort and restore function. Let's delve into the different types of neck and shoulder pain, along with strategies for effective management:

Types of Neck Pain

When patients present with neck pain, we categorize it into three main types:

Mechanical Neck Pain: This type of pain is exacerbated by sitting or certain movements, such as looking up or down. It can radiate into the shoulders or upper back and may take time to resolve, particularly when lifting overhead.
Radicular Pain: Radicular pain indicates nerve involvement, often manifesting as numbness, tingling, or burning sensations radiating down the arm. Sitting can exacerbate this type of pain, and recovery may require patience as the affected nerve heals.
Stenosis: While less common, stenosis presents with neck pain often accompanied by shoulder and hand weakness, as well as balance issues. This condition requires close attention due to its inconsistent presentation.

Strategies for Managing Neck Pain:

Mobility Exercises: Targeted exercises to improve neck mobility and reduce stiffness can be beneficial.
Postural Awareness: Maintaining proper posture while sitting and standing can alleviate strain on the neck.
Strength Training: Strengthening exercises for the neck and surrounding muscles can provide stability and support.
Patient Education: Understanding the underlying causes of neck pain and adopting preventive measures is crucial for long-term management.

Types of Shoulder Pain

In our practice, we classify shoulder pain into three categories:

Mobility Problem: Patients with mobility issues experience pain and limited range of motion when lifting their arms. This type of pain and limited motion often occurs at mid-range and may require targeted exercises to regain mobility.
Unstable Shoulder: Those with an unstable shoulder crave stability and may experience pain primarily at end range. Strengthening exercises focused on shoulder stability can be effective in addressing this issue.
Weak Shoulder: Patients with mostly full range of motion but present with pain throughout a shoulder movement often indicates the need for strength training to improve stability and function.

Importance of Overhead Lifting and Shoulder Range of Motion

Lifting overhead and maintaining shoulder range of motion are essential for performing daily activities with ease. Whether it's placing luggage in an overhead compartment, lifting grandchildren, or reaching for items on high shelves, adequate shoulder function is indispensable.

Common Overhead Press Faults and Fixes

Hinging at the Low Back: Correct posture and paying attention to rib cage positioning can prevent excessive strain on the lower back during overhead movements. A good correction is to "brace the belly like you are anticipating a punch".
Improper Bar Path: when pressing overhead, the head and face need to pull back to get out of the way of the bar. We want the bar to go straight up to the ceiling, not out and around the head. To finish the movement push the head forward again "through the window" of the arms over head.
Incomplete Overhead Position: Ensuring the arms touch the ears during overhead movements promotes proper alignment and reduces strain on the neck and shoulders. "Biceps to the ears" is a great cue.

Common Bench Press Faults and Fixes

Angle of the Elbows: Often we see the arms "winging" out at a 90 degree angle at the shoulder, what we would rather see is a 45 degree angle, as an arrow shape. This would make your head the tip of the arrow and the elbows the trailing points. If someone is not bringing elbows down, we will cue them to "bend the bar" which cues a corkscrew motion which protects the shoulder stability.
Speed of the Bar: Controlling the tempo of the movement and avoiding bouncing off the chest during bench presses is crucial for injury prevention. Tempo work or a pause in the bottom of the range of motion can clean up any sloppy fast lifting.
Bar Path: When lowering the bar to the chest, it needs to travel at the nipple level. Watch for the bar coming down too high towards the collar bone or too low at the lower aspect of the ribs.

Knowing When to Push Through or Seek Treatment

Understanding your body's signals is key to managing neck and shoulder pain effectively. Think of a stop light:

Green Light: Pain 0- 3/10 on a pain scale. Also indicators include minimal pain during activity and pain that decreases as you continue. Any of this discomfort stops as soon as you stop the activity.
Yellow Light: this is pain that is 4-5/10 while participating in activities. But also if soreness is present after movement and lasts UP TO 24 hours after the event. This is OK to reach however, note what brought this increased discomfort, was it the number of reps, the time spent, the weight, but be sure to find a happy medium and allow the body to recover. You don't want to run every yellow light in town!
Red Light: pain reaches 6-10 / 10. This is where you should stop that movement/ exercise. Additionally if you have pain afterwards, and that pain lasts for over 24 hours. These are the signs of a RED light and you need to adjust your chosen exercises/ activity.

When to Seek Professional Help

If neck or shoulder pain significantly impacts your daily activities, interferes with form during exercise, or persists despite rest and self-care measures, it's time to consult a healthcare professional. Research shows if intervention is not made before 7 days, the healing time will increase to 1.5x normal healing times. Our team specializes in diagnosing and treating neck and shoulder pain, providing personalized solutions tailored to your needs.

Don't let neck and shoulder pain hold you back from living life to the fullest. Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment and take the first step towards a pain-free, active lifestyle. Your journey to wellness starts here!