Conditions / Neck & Shoulder Pain

🙆 Neck & Shoulder Pain

Understand the common causes of neck and shoulder pain, what you can do about it, and when physiotherapy may help.

What is neck & shoulder pain?

Neck and shoulder pain is often linked to posture, stress, or how we sleep and sit. It usually responds well to targeted movement, and it's rarely a sign of anything serious.

Common causes

• Poor posture, especially prolonged desk or phone use
• Muscle tension linked to stress
• Sleeping in an awkward position
• Whiplash or a minor injury
• Degenerative changes in the neck over time

Common symptoms

• Stiffness when turning your head
• Pain that spreads into the shoulder or upper back
• Headaches that start at the base of the skull
• Pain after long hours at a desk or on a phone
• Reduced range of motion

When to see a physiotherapist

• Is the stiffness or pain limiting how you turn or move your head?
• Are the headaches or pain becoming more frequent?
• Has it lasted more than a couple of weeks despite rest?
• Does the pain spread into your arm or come with tingling?

How physiotherapy can help

A physiotherapist can identify what's driving your neck and shoulder pain — whether it's posture, muscle tension or joint stiffness — and guide you through movement and strengthening to ease it and reduce how often it comes back.

Treatment approaches

• Personalised exercise therapy
• Postural and ergonomic advice
• Mobility and stretching guidance
• Manual therapy where appropriate
• Stress and tension management strategies
• Home exercise programme

What to expect at your first visit

Your physiotherapist will typically start by discussing your symptoms and history, then carry out an appropriate assessment. They'll talk through what they find in plain language, answer your questions, and work with you to build an individualised plan — there's no expectation that everything gets fixed in one visit.

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