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Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common complaint and can be attributed to a number of conditions.

Neck pain can also cause loss of motion that holds you back from living your life. The good news is that it is usually caused by joint and muscle problems, not a serious disease. A variety of physical therapy treatments can decrease neck pain.

We tailor our neck pain program to your specific needs. Treatment could include:

  • Patient education
  • Development of home treatment program
  • Manual therapy to normalize your range of motion
  • Hands-on therapy and (soft tissue mobilization) to work on muscle tone
  • Exercises to help normalize movement and increase strength
  • Mobilization, a hands-on technique to move the neck joints and muscles to calm pain and spasms
  • Manipulation, a single, brief, quick, small movement to specific spots on your body

A study conducted in 2013 strongly suggests that an integrated approach can help. Neck exercises combined with mobilization, and possibly manipulation, may be the best plan to reduce neck pain soon after it develops. We will suggest the proper exercises and show you exactly how to perform them-a crucial step to ensure that you do not make any injury worse. The ultimate goal, beyond making your neck feel better, is to increase strength and flexibility.

Exercise and mobilization can also help ensure that pain and stiffness do not recur in your neck. To that end, we will ask you questions about your posture and ergonomics – how you hold your neck and body while you walk, work, watch television, work on hobbies and even sleep. We can offer seemingly small recommendations that will make a huge difference in how you feel going forward.

Many other modalities can help your neck feel better, including heat, ice or electrical stimulation. In more difficult cases, we may turn to mechanical or manual traction.

One size does not fit all when it comes to neck stiffness and pain, so contact us for a customized, integrated exercise plan that can help you move more easily and feel more like yourself again.

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Neck Pain Location

Pineville

2913 Monroe Highway
Ste B
Pineville, LA 71360
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Bossier

2906 Plantation Drive
Bossier City, LA 71111
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Shreveport

8660 Fern Ave.
Ste 160
Shreveport, LA 71105
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Alexandria

3446 Masonic Drive
Alexandria, LA 71301
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • A physical therapy visit lasts about 40-60 minutes. The actual contents of the visit vary based on your diagnosis/need, but typically what happens is:

    1. You check in with the receptionist, make any appointments necessary, and we discuss your health insurance benefits with you.
    2. You go into the gym. You can change clothes if you need to, then begin therapy.
    3. You perform 6-8 various exercises and stretches. These can include therapeutic band exercises, light body weight exercises, or minimal weights. The stretches will promote strength, stability, improved range of motion, and pain relief.
    4. We can initiate other techniques to include manual work, taping, cupping, and dry needling as needed.
    5. The therapist makes recommendations based on your progress. These can include altering the frequency of visits, making additions/alterations to your home exercise plan, or things to do before your next visit.
  • We recommend budgeting 40-60 minutes for a typical therapy session. The only exception to this will be your first visit, which can take about 20 minutes longer due to the physical therapy evaluation your therapist will provide. We also recommend showing up about 10-15 minutes early to your first visit. This way, you can complete the paperwork before your visit time and streamline the process.

  • If we are asking you to do something that is hurting too much, let us know! Physical therapy should not be severely painful. It is not common to be so sore that patients are in pain or it affects their daily life. If this ever happens during or after an appointment, let us know and we will adapt your program.

  • During your initial evaluation, your therapist may ask you a number of questions to determine what the cause of your pain is. This can include questions about your sleep habits, activity level, and work environment. They will also ask for a medical history, and then typically ask direct questions about where and when you experience pain.

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