Waking up with sore shoulders and neck can make even simple tasks feel unbearable. Whether you’re dealing with tightness from stress, poor posture, or an old injury, the discomfort can linger and affect your daily routine.
Physical therapy helps by identifying the root cause of your pain and using targeted techniques to improve mobility. Instead of masking the pain with temporary fixes, therapy works to correct muscle imbalances and restore movement.
You might notice pain when you turn your head, reach for something, or sit at your desk for long hours. Common causes include:
- Poor posture from looking down at screens
- Muscle strain from repetitive movements
- Tension from stress and anxiety
- Weakness or imbalance in supporting muscles
The good news is that physical therapy offers real solutions. By strengthening key muscles, improving flexibility, and addressing alignment issues, you can reduce pain and prevent future flare-ups.
15 Causes of Neck and Shoulder Pain
1. Poor Posture
Slouching, hunching over screens, and keeping your head tilted forward for long periods can strain your neck muscles. Bad posture can lead to chronic neck and shoulder pain by placing excess pressure on your cervical spine and soft tissues.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can assess your posture and guide you through exercises that strengthen the muscles supporting your spine. They may also teach you how to maintain good posture throughout the day, reducing strain and preventing neck pain.
2. Tech Neck
Spending hours looking down at a phone or laptop forces your neck into an unnatural position. This repetitive strain can cause pain, muscle tension, and even nerve compression over time.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can design a customized stretching and strengthening routine to counteract the effects of tech neck. Manual therapy, posture education, and frequent breaks can help relieve neck pain and prevent further strain.
3. Muscle Strain and Tension
Tense muscles from stress, repetitive movements, or overuse can cause pain in your shoulders and neck. Muscle spasms and stiff neck muscles often result from sleeping in a poor position or sudden physical strain.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
Targeted massage, stretching, and strengthening exercises can help relax tense muscles and improve flexibility. A physical therapist may also recommend breathing exercises and ergonomic adjustments to prevent recurring tension.
4. Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve occurs when spinal nerves are compressed, leading to neck pain, arm pain, and even hand pain. This condition, also known as cervical radiculopathy, can result from a herniated disk or bone spurs pressing on nerve roots.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can use gentle traction techniques to relieve pressure on nerve roots. Strengthening exercises and nerve glides help improve mobility and reduce inflammation, promoting long-term pain relief.
Don’t let neck pain and shoulder discomfort hold you back. Call WildHawk Physical Therapy at (828) 365-8133 today to schedule your appointment or visit us online to set up a Discovery Call. Work with us to start feeling better!
5. Herniated Disk
When the soft center of a spinal disk pushes through its outer layer, it can cause pain by pressing on nearby nerve roots. This can lead to severe pain, muscle weakness, and referred pain to the shoulder blades or upper arm.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A personalized therapy plan includes core stabilization exercises, postural corrections, and manual therapy to reduce pressure on the spinal column. A physical therapist may also use pain management techniques like cold therapy and a heating pad.
6. Cervical Osteoarthritis
Age-related wear on the cervical spine can cause pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. This degenerative condition leads to inflammation in the spinal column, increasing your risk for nerve compression and chronic discomfort.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
Gentle stretching, joint mobilization, and strengthening exercises can help maintain flexibility and reduce pain. A physical therapist may also recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or hot and cold therapy for pain relief.
7. Rotator Cuff Injuries
A torn rotator cuff or inflamed rotator cuff tendons can cause pain that radiates from the shoulder joint to the neck. These musculoskeletal injuries often result from repetitive overhead movements or sudden trauma.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can guide you through specific exercises to restore mobility and strengthen the rotator cuff. They may also use high-frequency sound waves or other modalities to promote healing and reduce inflammation.
8. Frozen Shoulder
This condition, also called adhesive capsulitis, makes it painful and difficult to move your shoulder joint. It typically develops from prolonged immobility, inflammation, or an underlying issue like nerve compression.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can use hands-on stretching and mobility exercises to gradually restore movement. Strength training and pain management techniques help prevent stiffness from returning.
9. Bone Spurs
Bone spurs are bony growths that develop along the edges of joints, including the upper arm bone and cervical spine. These growths can compress spinal nerves, causing neck and shoulder pain, numbness, and other symptoms like tingling in the arms.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
Manual therapy, targeted stretches, and strengthening exercises can help relieve pressure on the affected areas. A physical therapist may also recommend adjustments to your daily movements to avoid further irritation.
10. Cervical Radiculopathy
This condition happens when nerve roots in the cervical spine become irritated or compressed. It can cause pain that radiates from your neck to your shoulder blades, upper arm, or hand.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can perform nerve mobilization techniques and targeted exercises to restore function. They may also use nerve conduction studies to assess the severity of compression and create a customized treatment plan.
11. Referred Pain from Internal Organs
Sometimes, shoulder pain doesn’t originate in the muscles or joints but from internal issues like heart problems or gallbladder disease. If you experience unexplained pain along with other symptoms like shortness of breath or unexplained weight loss, seek immediate medical attention.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
If your pain is musculoskeletal, physical therapy can help identify movement patterns that contribute to discomfort. A therapist can also teach you pain relief techniques and posture corrections to ease strain on your neck and shoulders.
12. Trauma and Serious Injury
Car accidents, falls, and sports injuries can cause serious injury to the neck and shoulders. Whiplash, fractures, and dislocations may require surgical treatment if pain relief methods like physical therapy and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs don’t work.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can guide you through post-injury rehabilitation exercises to restore strength and mobility. If you’ve had surgical treatment, therapy can help you regain function safely.
13. Sleep Position and Lack of Support
Sleeping on your stomach or using an unsupportive pillow can strain your neck muscles. A good night’s sleep with proper lumbar support and a well-aligned sleeping position helps prevent neck pain and stiffness.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A therapist can recommend ergonomic pillows and sleeping positions that relieve pressure on your neck. Stretching exercises can also help loosen tight muscles that develop overnight.
14. Poor Circulation and Blood Vessel Issues
Restricted blood flow to the neck and shoulders can cause pain, tingling, and weakness. Conditions that affect blood vessels, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, can worsen muscle tension and increase the risk of nerve compression.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can incorporate circulation-boosting exercises and breathing exercises into your routine. Soft tissue massage and mobility work may also help improve blood flow to affected areas.
15. Overuse and Repetitive Motion
Frequent overhead lifting, carrying heavy bags, or performing certain neck movements repeatedly can strain the muscles and joints. Taking frequent breaks, practicing good posture, and using pain management strategies like cold therapy or a heating pad can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
How One-on-One Physical Therapy Helps
A physical therapist can teach you how to modify movements and use proper form to avoid further strain. Strengthening and flexibility exercises help correct imbalances and support long-term pain relief.
If your neck and shoulder pain persists, a physical therapist can evaluate your medical history and recommend targeted treatments.
WildHawk Is Here For Your Sore Shoulders and Neck
Personalized Care for Lasting Relief
At WildHawk Physical Therapy in Asheville, NC, you receive one-on-one attention to address your unique neck and shoulder pain. We take the time to understand how your pain affects your daily life so we can create a customized treatment plan that works for you.
Hands-On Treatment for Faster Recovery
We use manual therapy techniques to relieve tension, improve mobility, and restore function. By targeting soft tissues, spinal alignment, and muscle imbalances, we help you move more freely and with less discomfort.
Targeted Exercises for Strength and Stability
Strengthening the right muscles is key to preventing future pain. We guide you through specific exercises designed to improve posture, increase flexibility, and support your neck and shoulders.
Education and Prevention Strategies
We don’t just treat pain—we help you prevent it. You’ll learn posture corrections, workplace adjustments, and movement strategies to keep your neck and shoulders pain-free.
Convenient and Accessible Care
Located in Asheville, NC, we make getting care easy. We offer flexible hours, including early mornings and evenings, so you can fit physical therapy into your schedule.
Take the First Step Toward Pain Relief
Don’t let neck pain and shoulder discomfort hold you back. Call WildHawk Physical Therapy at (828) 365-8133 today to schedule your appointment, or visit us online to set up a Discovery Call. Work with us to start feeling better!
