Neck, shoulder and mid back pain can regularly occur in our lives whether through sport, prolonged computer use or from repetitive activities such as painting a wall.

In July Nicholas, Sally and David attended a two day course on the application of articular and muscle energy techniques for the treatment of the cervical and thoracic spine and thoracic cage. This course was held by Dr Barbara Hungerford PhD whose special interests lie in the research of and the assessment and treatment of spine and pelvic girdle pain.

Covered in this course was the latest research behind why pain can develop in our neck mid back and shoulder girdle. Accurate assessment is essential to determine the exact source of the pain which may not be just from a muscle but from an underlying stiff or compressed joint. Accurate assessment is the first step towards a speedy recovery.

Muscle energy techniques are then a safe and gentle form of manual therapy that removes the restriction form overly tight muscles surrounding a joint and restores normal joint glide and movement.

Articular techniques are glides that when applied to a stiff joint help restore normal joint movement and relieve pain.

The treatment that you receive at Clovelly Road Physiotherapy will then incorporate these latest techniques to relieve you neck, back or shoulder pain. Of course these techniques will be combined with education about your posture, and appropriate exercises for flexibility and strengthening for ongoing pain relief and prevention of reoccurrence.