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Ally’s Story: No Time for Strength-Training Ally was a receptionist at a local luxury hotel who spent long days checking guests in at her desk computer, answering the phone, and standing in one position for hours at a time. She started to notice a slight pain in her neck while she was at work. Although she ignored it at first, the pain persisted. She knew she needed to seek help. Ally made an appointment with us, where we took her through a comprehensive assessment, including several movement and functional screens. We determined that she had strained the soft tissue in her neck in large part due to constantly having to look down at her computer monitor. We started Ally’s treatment with acute pain management using manual therapy techniques and some gentle mobility stretches, which did help her immediate symptoms. However, we knew it wouldn’t be enough to fully resolve her pain, so we suggested she begin a multi- week therapeutic exercise program to restore strength in her upper back and shoulders, helping to reduce the strain on her neck. Unfortunately, Ally had decided to go back to school, and between work, her classes, and her family, she simply didn’t have time for physiotherapy. So, while we were able to help Ally in the short term, her pain persisted in the long term, eventually landing her back in our clinic a year later. Sarah’s Story: A Dedicated Strength Training Program Sarah’s situation was very similar to Ally’s. She was the manager of a day spa who also spent a great deal of time on both her laptop and a mobile phone, and she also experienced a gradual onset of neck pain. And, like Ally, she paid us a visit when it became too much. We gave her a similar diagnosis: strained neck and upper back muscles brought on by repetitive motions and sedentary postures. We also provided her with acute pain relief. The difference? Sarah was able to continue her treatment with a six-week therapeutic exercise program. We met with Sarah twice weekly to guide her through a custom set of targeted neck, shoulder, and upper back
exercises. We started with gentle stretches and mobility work before progressing to resistance training exercises. With the help of some dumbbells and an exercise band, Sarah built strength through her upper body, providing her neck with the support it needed. We also helped Sarah make some ergonomic changes at the spa–both for herself and her staff. We adjusted the height of the computer monitors at the front desk and in Sarah’s office and gave her some tips for maintaining postural awareness throughout the day (which she passed on to her staff). The result? After six weeks, Sarah’s neck pain was entirely resolved — and she didn’t have to seek additional treatment! Ready To Attack Your Neck Pain at the Source? If you’re struggling with persistent neck pain, physiotherapy at The Physiotherapy Center LTD can help you find lasting relief. Just as we did with Ally and Sarah, we’ll assess your symptoms and develop a customized treatment plan that seeks to resolve your neck pain altogether. Call us today to get started!
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CALL US AT 345.943.8700
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