You move them all day, every day, so it’s no wonder that, at some point, your neck or arms will hurt. Made up of bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and muscles — there’s a lot that can go wrong.

Arm and neck pain are often related and caused by:

• Injury (whiplash is a common one)
• Poor posture
• Tension related to stress
• Misalignment
• Overuse

If you’ve overexerted yourself or slept in an awkward position, your arm or neck pain should resolve on its own with rest. But sometimes your body needs more support. So, let’s explore the different ways that physiotherapy can alleviate neck and arm pain — and prevent it from happening again.

1. Improves Mobility

Stiffness and tension around the neck and shoulder joints are common. After carefully examining you, your physiotherapist will use careful movements and stretches to relax tight muscles and help you safely regain mobility — improved range of motion — in these joints.

Specific neck stretches will reduce pressure on your nerves and alleviate nerve-related pain — a common cause of arm pain.

NOTE: Only a professional physiotherapist should administer these movements; incorrect exercises or stretches can cause further damage and lengthen your recovery.

2. Strengthens Muscles

Your muscles support your skeleton and keep your joints in their ideal position. Weakness or imbalances in the muscles around your upper back, chest, neck, and shoulders can cause tension and pain in your upper spine, neck, and shoulders.

Your physiotherapist will show you how to do corrective exercises to retrain weak muscles and restore joint balance and alignment. They may also use taping to activate weaker muscles and provide additional support to relieve pain.

3. Increases Circulation

Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury, but it can cause terrible discomfort. Thus, your physio will use manual therapy to increase circulation, reduce inflammation, encourage your body’s natural healing process, and provide much-needed relief to your neck and/or arms.

4. Corrects Posture

Modern lifestyles — including hours in front of computer screens and smartphones — can wreak havoc on your posture and lead to neck, shoulder, and arm pain.

However, your physiotherapist will teach you how to combat poor posture and improve the flexibility of your upper spine with stretches, exercises, and lifestyle tips. These will ensure you don’t experience recurring neck and shoulder pain in the future. You’ll also look and feel taller!

5. Prevents Future Injury

Your physio has the big picture in mind. They don’t want to provide a temporary solution that has you reaching for pain medication after a few weeks. Your physiotherapist’s goal is to enhance your well-being, help you grow stronger, and heal fully. Be willing to learn, make changes — including different office furniture or a new pillow — and do your exercise “homework.” Your future self will thank you!

Are you ready for a physiotherapist to help you with neck or arm pain? Book an appointment online with Turramurra Physiotherapy today, or call 9144 1510 to talk to one of our professional and friendly team members.