Why is Physical Therapy good for Neck pain?

I was approached by an attendee of a seminar that I spoke at and I was asked why would physical therapy be more beneficial for neck pain than other forms of treatment that the greater population might be familiar with such as massage and chiro to name a few? I thought briefly to myself “that is a valid question”. Simply put, physical therapy involves various techniques designed to specific goals. Unfortunately, other health care professions tend to be based upon a specific philosophy which works great if the problem fits their narrow scope of treatment practice.

However, issues arise when the only technique they have is not designed for the particular ailment that might be resented. As a result they end up trying to fit a square peg in a triangular hole (figuratively speaking) leading to greater discomfort and potentially malpractice from a practitioner performing outside their scope of knowledge.

Neck pain for example can be the result of a multitude of issues present due to the complexity of the joint orientation, muscles, ligaments as well as the nerve distribution. Physical therapists are movement experts whose deeper understanding of the structures as well their movement patterns in relation to other body parts as well as external forces make them perfect for addressing that issue.

A part of a physical therapy evaluation and treatment is not only to help get rid of pain, although very important. A client will be best served by a physical therapist running a diagnostic to obtain a deeper understanding of the root cause of the pain or dysfunction. Treatment might require soft tissue mobilization, joint manipulation, movement analysis for biomechanical enhancement via kinesiological study or as simple as palliative care to reduce severe pain and discomfort in an acute situation. It is most likely the primary reason chiropractors in recent years have been seeking to hire physical therapists implementing their professional skill level to enhance their practice because it is well understood in the medical field their advanced capabilities.

So to be clear, other professions definitely have a usefulness and efficacy when treating issues with a patient's neck. However, considering how dynamic and complex the neck is, evidence based research dictates that a comprehensive treatment approach would be most effective and would suit the skill set of a seasoned physical therapist.