Pain in your shoulder area can result in additional stress and strain on your back and neck. Similarly, pain in the neck region can radiate down into the shoulder region. The muscles and nerves in the area all work together in creating stability in your upper torso, so it is no wonder that you may experience pain unrelated to your original injury. Understanding the anatomy of the shoulder and neck region will help to create a proper treatment plan that minimizes additional aches and pains.
Anatomy
Within the neck are seven vertebrae cushioned with discs and connected with muscles, tendons and ligaments. The job of the muscles is to provide mobility and support of the head as it sits on your shoulders. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. The shoulder girdle extends well beyond the top of your arm, through the shoulder girdle and moving across the collar bones and scapula bones in the back. The muscles stabilizing the shoulder move in many directions.
Neck or Shoulder Pain?
Where does the pain originate? Many people experiencing neck pain over an extended period of time may develop pain spreading over the shoulder region. This may be the more common condition, but does not rule out pain starting in the shoulder and moving up into the neck. The reason is that your body will compensate for any pain and injury. The nerves in the neck enervate the shoulder. If you are experiencing neck pain, you may subsequently be experiencing nerve issues including weakness and numbness in the shoulder. Additionally, a shoulder pain may require the neck to create more support than it normally does when the shoulder is healthy.
Creating Stability
With any injury it is important to improve muscle strength of the surrounding regions because they provide support and compensation for an injury. When it comes to your neck and shoulder, you want to work with your doctor or physiotherapist to make sure the exercises you are doing don't create any further damage. In cases where you have a cervical herniation, you may need to have the herniation removed before you can do anything else to stabilize the joint.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy for the neck and shoulders starts first and foremost with flexibility. You need to stretch the muscles in all the directions they are meant to go. Anyone who has ever had a neck or shoulder injury knows that the most difficult part of the entire process is regaining a full range of motion. And unfortunately, a lot of the strength of the neck and shoulder come from having a full range of motion.
Stretches include cervical flexion and extension (raising and lowering your chin) as well as lateral flexion (placing your ear to your shoulder). Work on rotation as well by looking from side to side. As you improve neck flexibility, place a hand pushing in the opposite direction of the stretch to improve strength.
Shoulder exercises start with arm rotations as well as bringing your hands clasped behind your back and raising them. You can also clasp hands with one coming from behind your back and the other from over your head. Shoulder shrugs will improve strength as will lateral pulls or rowing exercises. Build strength slowly to prevent further injury.
Preventing Further Pain
The best way to prevent pain extending from one injury to the other is to deal with the first problem as soon as possible. If you are having neck pain, rest your neck and limit activity that stresses your cervical spine. After all, you head still needs to be held up even if your neck is injured and it will call on other muscles that aren't as perfectly positioned to help, such as your shoulder. The same is true of your shoulder, resting it will help prevent pain in other areas. Check your posture to make sure that you are not standing or sitting in a way that adds stress and strain to either the neck or shoulders or both. Improved posture is one of the best ways to prevent neck and back pain in the long run.
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